The English Football Thread

14232949 · 12-04-2011, 05:19 PM

I liked them.

jackhammer · 12-04-2011, 06:06 PM

Sunderland now have Martin O Neill. You lucky bastards. The man is near genius. Fantastic manager.

Salami · 12-05-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer

Sunderland now have Martin O Neill. You lucky bastards. The man is near genius. Fantastic manager.

You know, I said that when they got Steve Bruce.

Unknown Soldier · 12-05-2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mighty Salami

You know, I said that when they got Steve Bruce.

To be honest, I never thought of Steve Bruce as a good manager, he didn`t exactly set the stage alight with Birmingham City or Sunderland, the only decent stint he had was with Wigan where he should`ve stayed. His fortunes at Sunderland went rapidly downhill after the selling of Bent to Villa, I saw a statistic the other day since Bent`s departure and it was 28 played and 16 lost.

I`m also going to stick my head on the line and say that Martin O`Neill will not change Sunderland's situation that much.

**Goofle** · 12-05-2011, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

I`m also going to stick my head on the line and say that Martin O`Neill will not change Sunderland's situation that much.

Agree with that. Not personally that big a fan of Martin O'Neill, but even if he were a great manager, what exactly could he do? They don't have any good strikers.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 12-05-2011, 10:38 AM

I don't know why on earth O'Neil would go to Sunderland for. I thought the reason he left Villa in the first place was because some yank owner wouldn't bankroll him millions.

I think O'Neil is at the stage of his career where he should go abroad and manage in Europe then after a few years of that come back to the premier league and get a really top job.

This whole Sunderland thing is a side step for him.

Mojo · 12-10-2011, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

I`m surprised at that comment, most people that I come across really support the national team and I don`t feel there has been any real dip in support for it over the years. When England perform badly, sure there is a dip in enthusiasm but that soon rises when they start winning again.

Personally I experience a lot of negativity toward the national team.

Where I live there are huge fanbases for club football. Whether it be Blyth, Gateshead, South Shields etc, 'Boro, or Sunderland and Newcastle. The attendances of just the teo Premier league clubs combined, on average, would probably be about 85-90,000 a week. That's a huge fanbase for clubs who don't win anything.

The support for the national team is nowhere near as strong as it should be, here or anywhere else. We're probably quite patriotic on the whole, yeah, but whereas our clubs success could well be a strong passion, our country isnt even a fraction of that.

In many ways its to be expected and makes sense but in other ways I find it sad, personally. I do believe that English football fans get a twisted enjoyment out of criticising and mocking the national team. It feels comfortable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer

Sunderland now have Martin O Neill. You lucky bastards. The man is near genius. Fantastic manager.

I'm happy with the appointment. To be fair, Bruce had proven to be tactically so inept that I simply welcome a change, any change, but to get a manager with such a strong track record is nothing to turn your nose up at.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hatemonger

I don't know why on earth O'Neil would go to Sunderland for. I thought the reason he left Villa in the first place was because some yank owner wouldn't bankroll him millions.

I think O'Neil is at the stage of his career where he should go abroad and manage in Europe then after a few years of that come back to the premier league and get a really top job.

This whole Sunderland thing is a side step for him.

Are we too small a fish for MON? Maybe, yeah. But we are potentially a big project. We have been a yo-yo club for years and as of late we finally started to turn a corner with that. Dont forget that it isnt that long ago we were sitting 6th before Bent pissed off, Henderson had his head turned and everything started to fall apart. With a manager not afraid to give a bollocking where a bollocking is needed, a track record of not just stabilising a club but strengthening a club and making actual progress with a club then who knows?

He's no magician. I'm well aware of this. He may also need money. He may need money that we maybe dont have. All perfectly valid points and possible hurdles. I cant deny that. But for the first few weeks of this season we were tight defensively, we do have some talent in the midfield. There is of course room for improvement but its not like we have a weak squad, in my opinion. With someone to better motivate and better tighten, make better tactical decisions, make use of our summer signings like Gardner and Vaughan, get Brown and O' Shea playing with a little more fire, and yes of course sign strikers or make the most of any opportunity he has if and when Campbell and Wickham come back in...there is potential there I think.

We just need to stay up this season. We need stability. Then if we invest well and once he has had the summer with his new squad, then we'll see what kind of job he can do here.

Oh and PS I watched the Newcastle I've grown to know and love today. Hopefully dropping points to the big boys and then getting spanked off Norwich will bring them down a peg or two and the table will start to look more the way it "should".

Bulldog · 12-22-2011, 02:26 AM

BBC Sport - Wigan 0-0 Liverpool

Get in it!!

Shame the report weighs in on Liverpool's side making it seem like they were walking all over das latics for the whole game. The truth couldn't have been any more different. Outside the opening half hour or so, they simply never looked like scoring.

Either way, fantastic blody result. Bring on Man U

**Goofle** · 12-05-2011, 10:40 AM

Sunderland fan apparently.

Salami · 12-05-2011, 11:13 AM

Unknown Soldier is right. Sadly, they really are in the doldrums at the moment, and no amount of deckchair rearranging or putting the odd player in a new position will help much. They need some new talent, but I don't think they are able to afford it.

Urb definitely has a point: he's easily good enough for a sucessful career in Europe, maybe with a side like Roma, perhaps. I think they might need a better manager. Their current one is on a two year contract, but he isn't really doing that well.

12-04-2011, 06:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Sunderland now have Martin O Neill. You lucky bastards. The man is near genius. Fantastic manager. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

12-05-2011, 10:38 AM	#6 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,626	I don't know why on earth O'Neil would go to Sunderland for. I thought the reason he left Villa in the first place was because some yank owner wouldn't bankroll him millions. I think O'Neil is at the stage of his career where he should go abroad and manage in Europe then after a few years of that come back to the premier league and get a really top job. This whole Sunderland thing is a side step for him. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

12-04-2011, 05:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
14232949 The Big Dog Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,989	I liked them.

12-22-2011, 02:26 AM	#8 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	BBC Sport - Wigan 0-0 Liverpool Get in it!! Shame the report weighs in on Liverpool's side making it seem like they were walking all over das latics for the whole game. The truth couldn't have been any more different. Outside the opening half hour or so, they simply never looked like scoring. Either way, fantastic blody result. Bring on Man U

12-05-2011, 11:13 AM	#10 (permalink)
Salami Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 1,386	Unknown Soldier is right. Sadly, they really are in the doldrums at the moment, and no amount of deckchair rearranging or putting the odd player in a new position will help much. They need some new talent, but I don't think they are able to afford it. Urb definitely has a point: he's easily good enough for a sucessful career in Europe, maybe with a side like Roma, perhaps. I think they might need a better manager. Their current one is on a two year contract, but he isn't really doing that well.