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Dear Roker Report,
It may be sour grapes because we are so far away from the Premier League, but I’ve come to the conclusion I’m in no rush to get back there.
Did I really enjoy paying £45 for a ticket? Going to games on a Monday evening or Sunday at 4 or 5.30pm on a Saturday?
The problem with the Premier League is that Sky has convinced us that it’s the only place to be, that football is only relevant in the Premier League. The very elitist tithe of the competition epitomises this. Before the marketing gurus and Sky got hold of football it was League Division One, not jazzy enough?
For Sunderland, what was being in the Premier League about? Apart from the brilliant Reidy years of Phillips, Quinn, Johnstone, Summerbee, Gray and co. It has been mediocre, lower league fare, countless managers, mercenary players and finally relegation.
Just think back to that side, the full backs were English, the wingers British, the midfield British, with just the odd well selected & recruited foreign player; Sorensen, Schwarz, and the genius that was Julio Arca.
This week summed up the Premier league. Everton paid £50m for a player that’s had half a decent season. Teams are so desperate to get there that a player who last summer cost £1m now commands a fee of £8-£10m! Do we really want to be part of that farce again?
So I’ve beaten Sky... I’ve got my League One back, maybe I’m going to see players play for my team for 3-4 years, ones that actually are here for the club not for the pay check. Maybe I’ll actually enjoy football again.
Paul Wood
Ed’s Note [JN]: I must admit, I share your disdain for the Premier League and Sky Sports - its not this whole cliched “Against Modern Football” thing or because we dropped out, but that the Premier League is an over-sanitized marketing behemoth that destroys the true nature of football. It has to be unsustainable in the long-term.
Here’s a link to an article I put up on the site on this topic a while ago.
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Dear Roker Report,
I might get laughed out of my home here, but has it in any time entered the mind of Jack Ross to sign a certain Jermain Defoe?
Granted, his wages may be a big problem, but he would also be guaranteed to put at least a few more thousand on the home gates. He is not getting anywhere near regular playing time at Bournemouth and after all, the guy is 35-years-old.
He has quite possibly lost that extra yard for the premier league, but he would destroy this division. He would be a brilliant influence on the younger lads and the new signings, and he would be able to tell them exactly what a bouncing SoL is like. This guy is a dedicated pro. He looks after himself in every way. He is respectful, trains hard and gives 100% every time he steps out onto the pitch.
What an example he could be. Sounds crazy perhaps, but football is a crazy world.
Hughie
Ed’s Note [JN]: Unfortunately aye, this is a bit crazy. He’d never drop this low and we would never afford anywhere near his wages. To put into context, most players we sign earn roughly 10% per-week what he did (at the very most).
Thanks for the memories, Jermain. Here’s the best of the lot.
P.S. Note the limbs.
