The Unofficial Sunderland Thread

[stew]

As a kid growing up I was a man united supporter, to this day I would sit down and watch a part of their game if they were playing, no other team in the world could make me do that bar the International side.

Keane is one of the great united players and I admired him for his greatnes on the field, I never saw anyone work as hard as keane did but as he got longer in the tooth he became an agitator and a clubhouse cancer. United and ferguson kicked him to the kerb as did his team mates and manager in Saipan, this constitutes a pattern of destructive behaviour which wrecked Irelands chances and could have derailed United were it not for Ferguson putting him in his place.

Out of all keanes backers the man united supporters are the absolute worst, their boy can do no wrong and they have as much crdibility as Dunphy has when it comes to their opinion on Keane in my eyes. A liverpool or Arsenal supporter with a positive view on keane i would listen to but a united fan........................ it is a waste of time, they have double the loyalty for him given his club and country and shame on them for justifying Keanes behaviour in both Saipan and Manchester.

[stew]

Fair enough.
Being treated poorly, being dumped out of the World Cup and complaining about the way you were treated would not have cut ice with me.

The main reason they were fucked out: Robbie Keane should have hit the fecking penalty!

How do you know they would have been knocked out with keane in the lineup? I dont know that.

The main reason they were knocked was Roy keane wasnt there to play for his team mates and his Country.

[stew]

I have little interest in Man United and my main interest is to slag my da when they're bate. My sister was at University in Manchester and I got the chance to go to watch Man United a few times. My first visit was to watch them lose 1-0 to Fenerbache in a CL game. I have even less of an interest in ROI.
I don't believe that the Keane - McCarthy debacle had a lot to do with their exit from the World Cup. I think people have made a scapegoat of Keane.

Fair enough. Is that why he was applauded and revered when he decided he wanted to play for his country again???

I fail to se how any man that spoke to his boss in the way Keane did to McCarthy in front of the entire squad could be made a scapegoat. I would say that McCarthy if anyone in the situation was the scapegoat, shure wasnt he an just an effing English cnut to begin with!!

[AZOffaly]

Not to butt in on the whole 2002 revisited thing, but I love the way stew uses the old American sportisms. Not a dig by the way, just looks funny!

Awesome dude

[stew]

Not to butt in on the whole 2002 revisited thing, but I love the way stew uses the old American sportisms. Not a dig by the way, just looks funny!

Awesome dude

I have spent thirty percent of me life in the states AZ. Late hoss.

[AZOffaly]

I know, I wasn't having a go. It just looks like i'm reading a column on SI, except about Roy Keane

[stew]

I know, I wasn't having a go. It just looks like i'm reading a column on SI, except about Roy Keane

Feck away aff!

[Main Street]

I have even less of an interest in ROI.
I don't believe that the Keane - McCarthy debacle had a lot to do with their exit from the World Cup. I think people have made a scapegoat of Keane.

Then you are probably not at all aware that Keane on the pitch added a minimum of an extra 20 or 30% to the Irish team performance.
The irony is that Keane the manager would have sent home Keane the player.

Anyway Andy Reid is our best midfielder, as Mentalman has pointed out, making the difference and making up for a lot of dross Keane has signed. At the seasons end he will have to hire a bus to get rid of the surplus to requirements. .

[Mentalman]

Anyway Andy Reid is our best midfielder, as Mentalman has pointed out, making the difference and making up for a lot of dross Keane has signed. At the seasons end he will have to hire a bus to get rid of the surplus to requirements. .

What about young Stokes? Will he be on the bus? Listening to the guy Newstalk 106 have on from the fanzine, A Love Supreme, it sounds like he's not exactly popular with the fans. Then again that guy seems quite negative about Keane in general, and specifically in relation to his treatment of Liam Miller as opposed to Dwight Yorke. Hope Stokes isn't on the outs, he's still only a young lad, and at 2 million, there'sa lot worse in the Sunderland squad ahead of him.

[Main Street]

Anyway Andy Reid is our best midfielder, as Mentalman has pointed out, making the difference and making up for a lot of dross Keane has signed. At the seasons end he will have to hire a bus to get rid of the surplus to requirements. .

What about young Stokes? Will he be on the bus? Listening to the guy Newstalk 106 have on from the fanzine, A Love Supreme, it sounds like he's not exactly popular with the fans. Then again that guy seems quite negative about Keane in general, and specifically in relation to his treatment of Liam Miller as opposed to Dwight Yorke. Hope Stokes isn't on the outs, he's still only a young lad, and at 2 million, there'sa lot worse in the Sunderland squad ahead of him.

When I say about Andy Reid "our midfielder", I mean midfielder for Ireland.

I have only seen Stokes for the u21's and he has been disappointing. Andy Keogh of Wolves has half the talent but puts in twice the performance.
Stokes is still young, has been played out of position, might improve if he has a 1/2 decent coach, so no big strain to keep him another year.
There will always be another bus.

So far, of the young lads up front, it is looking very good for Murphy. I would expect him to be on the subs bench for the Ireland team.
If he could head the ball (like Cascarino) he would be a starter.

[Mentalman]

Anyway Andy Reid is our best midfielder, as Mentalman has pointed out, making the difference and making up for a lot of dross Keane has signed. At the seasons end he will have to hire a bus to get rid of the surplus to requirements. .

What about young Stokes? Will he be on the bus? Listening to the guy Newstalk 106 have on from the fanzine, A Love Supreme, it sounds like he's not exactly popular with the fans. Then again that guy seems quite negative about Keane in general, and specifically in relation to his treatment of Liam Miller as opposed to Dwight Yorke. Hope Stokes isn't on the outs, he's still only a young lad, and at 2 million, there'sa lot worse in the Sunderland squad ahead of him.

When I say about Andy Reid "our midfielder", I mean midfielder for Ireland.

I have only seen Stokes for the u21's and he has been disappointing. Andy Keogh of Wolves has half the talent but puts in twice the performance.
Stokes is still young, has been played out of position, might improve if he has a 1/2 decent coach, so no big strain to keep him another year.
There will always be another bus.

So far, of the young lads up front, it is looking very good for Murphy. I would expect him to be on the subs bench for the Ireland team.
If he could head the ball (like Cascarino) he would be a starter.

I see, thought you might be a genuine Mackem, not like the rest of us who just take an interest, I took you up the wrong way. Murphy seems to have turned a corner alright, from being close to going out on loan to a matchday squad regular. I think himself, and Stokes earlier in the season when Edwards was injured, seem to fit with Keane's desire to have flexibility between 4-4-2 and 4-5-1 during a given game. For that reason I imagine both will be retained, whether Sunderland survive or not. Could be an interesting summer if they stay up though, with them being linked with every ex-Utd. player and some of his older ex-colleagues still at the club. Personally I'd think he needs to spread the net a little further, but on the other hand if helps establish them in the Premiership over the next 3 seasons it's a good strategy.

[Mentalman]

Looking better to stay up after a win against another relegation rival. Murphy showed well again today, setting up two goals, Jones does more damage, and Chopra contributes another key goal.

With their remaining fixtures, and the league table, 5 more points would make them mathematically safe at this stage, and Bolton to play in the run in. 

Sunderland v Man City, 15:00 Saturday, 12 April 2008
Newcastle v Sunderland, 13:30 Sunday, 20 April 2008
Sunderland v Middlesbrough, 15:00 Saturday, 26 April 2008
Bolton v Sunderland, 15:00 Saturday, 03 May 2008
Sunderland v Arsenal, 15:00 Sunday, 11 May 2008

Pos		Played	Points
13	Sunderland	33	36
14	Wigan	33	34
15	Middlesbrough	32	34
16	Reading	33	32
17	Birmingham	33	30
18	Bolton	33	26
19	Fulham	33	24
20	Derby	32	11

[magpie seanie]

Nearly there now. Would expect that the job will be completed. Couldn't see Bolton winning all their games, they look terrible.

[Mentalman]

Nearly there now. Would expect that the job will be completed. Couldn't see Bolton winning all their games, they look terrible.

Defo, can't see Bolton stringing 4 wins together out of 5, they haven't managed that all season. Anyway I'm sure Keane will push them on to finish as high as possible rather than just staying up by default. I'm sue Sunderland fans would have settled for 4th bottom at the start of the season, but every position is worth money. And besides you can learn a lot about players in the remaining matches - I'm sure a fair few of them are fighting for their places at the club next season.

[slow corner back]

With home games against City boro and a disintrested Arsenal I would expect Sunderland to pick up 5/7 points, they may well also pick up draws at Newcastle and Bolton. Relegation is down to the bottom five now but with Boltons and Fulhams form awful it almost looks completely over.