Fan Letters: Should the dissenters amongst the Sunderland fanbase be more patient with Coleman?

Dear Roker Report,

The only protest that is going to have any effect is for fans to stay away from the Stadium of Light. For as long as fans are turning up at the ground to watch under performing players, the club is still making money.

If the fans stay away from matches and hit Ellis Short where it really hurts, then the protest may have an effect.

Mike Haley

Ed’s note: I can not blame a single soul for staying away; quite frankly two wins at home since December 2016 and 100 in general in 11 years (!) is shocking. I have many friends who no longer go week-in, week-out and that's their prerogative. I actually refused to go under Moyes for a few weeks last season, such as how bad things had gotten.

However I still - begrudgingly at times - trot up the South Stand every week and watch the Lads. I can't not go, and I'll never change. We can't just drop our team, or swan off to South Shields and claim we are all life-long Mariners die-hards.

No matter what league we are in, those players will need us by their side - whether or not half of them care or deserve it.

PA Images via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

I have been a Sunderland supporter for over 60 years and have seen the many ups and downs, good times and bad times. This is probably one of the really bad times.

That said, I cannot emphasise enough that Sunderland need to keep Chris Coleman, who needs the support of all the fans.

How many managers have we had over the past few years? The constant churn has to stop, and this club needs stability. Chris took over a totally inadequate squad with little or no time to recruit. One only has to look at his track record with Wales where he gets the best out of ordinary players.

It is extremely likely we will be relegated so this club needs to rebuild, hopefully with new owners. Chris Coleman is the right man to do this, so lets all get behind him and give him the support that he deserves.

Telboy

Ed’s note: Without a shadow of a doubt, I agree.

Chris Coleman has made mistakes throughout his tenure, and he has been unable to provide the upturn in fortunes that I had long hoped for. Under Grayson, I repeatedly claimed these players while in-suited to the division, still had enough quality to stay up.

Many do. However, confidence and physicality are kings in the Championship. Just look at why Cardiff are second in the league.

Cookie is the man to turn us around in the long-term, he has the charisma, efficacy and big enough shoulders to bear the burden of Sunderland AFC and finally root out this egregious losing culture of apathy that is rotting the club apart.

Many claim John O’Shea and Lee Cattermole are the rotten core of this club. To do so is naïve. They are victims of the club, and a prevailing attitude which has festered behind the scenes for nigh on a decade.

Coleman is irrevocably the man to change that.