Fan Letters: “Every time we lose all you hear is Ross out!” - reader David backs Sunderland boss

Dear Roker Report,

I know this was a poor performance and this doesn’t really apply to this game but... To all the people who say they’ve had enough of draws and would rather we won 5 and lost 5 than drew 10.

Would you really?

Because every time we lose all you hear is Ross out. The double standards are insane, we won last week and lost this, most people would say that’s better than 2 draws yet we’re still calling for him to be sacked? So what is it? We have to win every game?

Our fans have lost the plot with Ross and it’s showing on the pitch. The atmosphere around the club is going back to what it was a couple of years ago and, shock, so are the performances. Believe it or not if the fans don’t back the players it DOES have an affect, on their performances and on how they play for the manager. Would you give your all for your boss if you knew all your customers hated him?

I genuinely believe he is a good manager, we’re not where we want to be right now but it’s a long season and I do think we’ll get there. He’s far more talented than a lot of our fans give him credit for and if we backed him we could really have something good here.

David Fava

Ed’s note [Damian]: I think the overarching issue most fans now have with Jack Ross is his nigh-on incomprehensible tactics. You have to have been living under a rock for the last year to have missed the sad truth; Sunderland under Jack Ross look dogs**t for the most part. A handful of good performances does not a good manager make, and I often find myself telling people that if it weren’t for Aiden McGeady, Ross wouldn’t be in a job.

Without a game changer like that at his disposal - which he still, in my humble opinion, conspires to under-utilise - and any number of fortunate, near-miss variables that have come about often in spite of the team and manager, his position wouldn’t be tenable.

This isn’t because of results on a week by week basis, it’s the nature in which our very modest points haul so far was attained. It takes a unique outlook to have watched the way Jack Ross’s team have performed from game to game and come away thinking that we deserve most of what we get and that he’s doing the best he can.

If I was a conspiracy theorist I’d almost be tempted to say that Ross has lost the desire to give a damn what happens next. Whether that’s because of, as you say, entitled fans too eager to call for his head, or because he simply can’t make it work and doesn’t want to hold up his hands and admit it, I leave to you speculate.

One thing is certain: we can’t keep going like this.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

I wrote to Roker Report two years ago suggesting Sunderland look to South Shields for inspiration to the annoyance of Gav who calls them Man City down the road.

As a reader twitted yesterday we were beaten by a team who were in the National League when we were last in the Premier League. Shields play in front of an almost carnival atmosphere at Mariners Park and yesterday Sunderland supporters left Lincoln early as one reader twitted in a state of apathy. Depressed in other words.

I thought Coleman was harshly treated as Sunderland manager and before him Grayson paid the price for not listening to supporters who were clamouring for Steele to be dropped.

Ross is going down the same road with McLaughlin a fellow Scot. I’m surprised more was not made of McLaughlin’s performance in the play off final last season against Charlton. He seems weak on the corners of the six yard box, ironically an area Ruiter was good in, another treated poorly benched for the most part, humiliated.This season McLaughlin’s weakness has been exploited. Maybe it’s always been there, he came free after all.

Ross is on the verge of losing his players and after 80 something games we’re tiring of the svelte talk. Allardyce would come at a price and would most likely not hang around. I’m told Roy Keane wants to get back into managing and who better. Mad as a March hare, a hair trigger temper and a good football brain. He’d be a cult hero in Hendon.

This really is getting boring now. Ross may get back on track but how long before another slump, a draw against a Bolton team cobbled together in a week and a loss against Lincoln, seriously. Shields would give them a run for their money.

Time for a shake up. Ozturk’s been impressive, the wall! Where’s he? Where’s Kimpioka, we need some flamboyance. Why is Gooch being persevered with, he’s in the same category as Watmore, not very good.

Yes, time for change. Sunderland could do worse than call Coleman if his spirit isn’t broken. The man moved his family to Sunderland and put his son into a local school to be punted backdoor style. What an appalling way to treat the man, his loyal wife and son excited to be in Sunderland. That’s not the Mackem way.

Peter Chase

Ed’s note (Damian): I’m sure it keeps Gav up at night, Peter.

Firstly I’ve got to say I disagree on Gooch being like Watmore - Gooch actually contributes. He busts a gut, takes on his man and creates chances. We’d be worse off without him, even if he did have that dip in form last season.

The second thing I disagree with you on is Roy Keane. Of course you’re not the only Sunderland fan clamouring for the return of the fiery Celt, and on the surface of things it’s easy to see what he could bring to the table. He takes no prisoners and at some point all of us have yearned for his boot to come straight up the arse of every player in the dressing room. But much as I loved the guy and that style of management, I don’t think it’s possible to rule with an iron fist anymore. Player power has never been so potent; the days of pinning an employee to the wall and threatening to kick his teeth down his throat if he makes one more mistake are long gone. Is that a bad thing? Probably.

PA WIRE