The Unofficial Sunderland Thread

[Billys Boots]

LOL that's the granny coming out in me alright.

Sure, we knew ye weren't all bad! 

[lynchbhoy]

the benefit of wisdom through experience

it doesnt seem that long ago where Roy himself was missing busses on on Ireland tours etc - then falling out with Charlton and McCarthy over this at the time.


Thought there had to be a falling out behind the scenes that lead to keane saying he was letting miller go

keane himself was a big fan of millers ever since the two clased in an Ireland v Ireland u21 practise game many moons ago

have heard before that millers attitude can be bad.

[Mentalman]

Keane slams hypocritical managers 

Interview: Sunderland boss Roy Keane

Sunderland manager Roy Keane has hit out at the "hypocrisy" of some of his Premier League colleagues over their demand for more respect for referees.

A series of high-profile incidents of officials being abused has prompted leading managers to demand protection for match referees.

But Keane told BBC Radio 5 Live: "There are a lot of hypocrites out there.

"The same bosses talking about players showing respect have been sent off themselves for abusing officials."

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano's reaction to being sent off by Steve Bennett against Manchester United last week is the latest in a succession of incidents in which officials have been confronted.

Football Association director of football development Trevor Brooking launched a £200m grassroots football scheme last week, with the aim of recruiting more referees and improving the behaviour of players on the pitch towards match officials.

And he says a fresh approach will be looked at next season in a bid to protect referees.

Meanwhile, Keane added: "I've made it clear to everyone here - from the academy to the first team - that a lack of respect towards referees will not be tolerated.

"But I've seen other managers come out and demand respect. How can the players show respect if their manager does not?"

Keane was famously heavily criticised in 1999 when, as United captain, he led the unsightly charge on referee Andy D'Urso after he awarded Middlesbrough a penalty at Old Trafford.

However, the Irishman has garnered a more reserved reputation as a manager.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/7318443.stm

[AZOffaly]

Ah Jaysus. Roy Keane calling for respect of referees? The world is ending lads.

[stew]

Ah Jaysus. Roy Keane calling for respect of referees? The world is ending lads.

How that clown can call anyone a hypocrite is beyond me, is there a bigger hypocrite than keane in the premiership? I seriousy doubt it.

[Mentalman]

Hypocrite or not it was great win for Sunderland today, given at one stage it looked like all the teams below them were going to gain ground.  It's in the Mackems own hands now as they have to play Fulham and Bolton, all be it away. Outside of that they have a couple of Northeast derbies too with Boro and the Barcodes, neither of which are technically safe yet. Should be interesting from here on in!

[Mentalman]

He has been managing for five minutes and then he decides to take pot shots at other managers when he has spent a clean fortune buying players and he is in danger of going down. Roy the manager has little credibility at this stage so i would respectively suggest to roy boy that he should shut his pie hole until he accomplishes not something but anything at the managerial level.

Would agree with some of that, he has surprised me by his willingness to engage with the press, although I get the feeling some of it is taking a cue from Fergie, and is mre than a little tongue in cheek. But the point about his spending isn't really here nor there. Yes, Sunderland are the second highest spenders in the the EPL this year, behind Man City, but what was he supposed to do? Not spend the money available to him and finish below Derby? Fulham are the 4th highest spenders and they look completely shafted, wel to me at least. If you look at Keanes signings as a whole a large chunk of that money has been spent on Gordon, 9 million. I think he's proven a good young (for a keeper) signing, and every decent team has to have a solid keeper behind them. The 6 million spent on Jones, which was scoffed at at the time, seems to be money well spent, and if Sunderland do go down they will have no problem making that money back if they so wish. Richardson comes in next I'd reckon, and I'd argue if he had been fit more often during the season they would be safe by now. Next money wise is Chopra, 5 million, who I wouldn't say has been anything near success, but has still scored the winning goals against Spurs & Villa. And finally Andy Reid, 4 million, who's signing seems to have coincided with their up turn in form over the last two months. Bardsely seems to have been  solid signing as well, despite my own sceptisicm, not to mention Evans on loan. None of these are names that roll off the tongue, but this is Sunderland after all, not Chelsea. Of course there duds in there too - Halford, Anderson, Ethuhu and unfortunately our own MacShane. But the positives out weigh the negatives, and all the players mentioned previously have helped get the Mackems to a position where league survival is now in their own hands. That isn't bad going when you think of sides who have gone down, or have barely escaped in recent years - West Ham spring to mind. It's also not bad when you consider that the last time they were promoted they got relegated with 17 points. All managers make bad signings, certainly Fergie has made a raft of them over his career, or more recently Benitez, but seems to be making more god than bad that seems to count.

[ExiledGael]

Did you ever see that 'child' Keane 'abused'? Did you see how the case ended up? Pathetic English bullshit of a case.
He's bought a lot of duds, who hasn't? He was given the task of staying up, looks very like he's going to do just that.

[thewobbler]

How did he walk out on Ireland when McCarthey sent him home..but sure dont let the truth get in the way of talking shit 

I don't know which is the more frustrating, that this argument will never reach an amicable conclusion, or that simpletons such as New Devil refuse to accept that Roy Keane himself played the major part in his absence from the 2002 World Cup.

[magpie seanie]

Very good result for Sunderland and they should survive now which is no mean achievement. The funds will be in greater supply in the summer which will be interesting as its another, new challenge for Roy.

I'm not getting involved in the other thing.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

The funds will be in greater supply in the summer which will be interesting as its another, new challenge for Roy.

There seemed to be ample funds last Summer but the problem was attracting players. Probably 2 reasons for that - Sunderland's being perceived as an unattractive location and players thinking they mightn't stay too long in the top flight. Now that they are more established as a Premier League it might be easier to attract better quality players.

[stew]

How did he walk out on Ireland when McCarthey sent him home..but sure dont let the truth get in the way of talking shit 

I don't know which is the more frustrating, that this argument will never reach an amicable conclusion, or that simpletons such as New Devil refuse to accept that Roy Keane himself played the major part in his absence from the 2002 World Cup.

By virtue of the fact that he made a complete tr**p out of himself by hammering on his Manager on the cusp of their first game meant that either McCarthy lost face and the faith of his players or Keane went home in disgrace. Keane was the single biggest reason why the irish team was in disarray, any half decent professional would have waited until the squad were back home before talking about the conditions the team had to deal with. Keane was used to being spoiled at man utd and the standards there and his points were valid, the way he chose to address the issue lies squarely on his shoulders.

I could as much forget what he did in saipan as much as I could forget the tremendous force he was on the field, you simply cannot forget aspects of his legacy be they good or bad, not should you, they are part of his make up.

[dodo]

any half decent professional would have waited until the squad were back home before talking about the conditions the team had to deal with

However, surely if his intentions were to improve the conditions that the team had to deal with, there wouldn't be much point waiting 'til they were home.

Since they were in Saipan and all arrangements were made for their group stages at this stage it would have made alot more sense to wait till the tournament was over.

[dodo]

The point in crying after the event would have been to keep the squad together for the tournament and then to let rip. What happened was that Roy lost the plot. This crap about him having the greater good at heart is laughable when you consider the fallout. Why if he was so concerned, that this fallout did not feature in his thinking ?

[stew]

any half decent professional would have waited until the squad were back home before talking about the conditions the team had to deal with

However, surely if his intentions were to improve the conditions that the team had to deal with, there wouldn't be much point waiting 'til they were home.

Ask yourself this question, given they way Keane handled the situation would he have been better off waiting until they were home, biting his lip so to speak or did he handle the situation the way it should have been handled in the moment?

even better, imagine what would have happened if Keane had went to the IFA and told them what the isues were and gave them an opportunity to fix them, imagine would have happened in keane had spoken to McCarthy in a respectful manner in front of the squad but instead of going off on his manager he gave suggestions as to how the problems might be fixed in the very short term.

Keane chose to discredit McCarthy and the IFA at the worst possible moment, that was one WC that was there for the taking and his actions cost Ireland dearly as he was one of the best players in the world and he was 30 -31 years old at the time and at the top of his game.

Imagine being a player and sitting through that meeting, your heart would have been broken before you kicked a ball in anger.