Fan Letters: Parkinson’s paradox - the need for patience & improved performances from Sunderland

Dear Roker Report,

Hello. Just a quick one re: my recent email. I think you misunderstood. It was deliberately dripping with sarcasm. My point was meant to be read as how can fans start to demand the sacking of a manager after six games when although the results have been bang average there needs to be some sort of reality check in some people. I think it is the generation that were brought up after the SoL opened who think we are a massive club.

We have not been since the 1950’s and the good work done at the start of this century has been slowly scratched away by horrendous mis-managment by the custodians of OUR CLUB in recent years. We need to take stock as to where we are and what we have at our disposal i.e. good but not brilliant League One players. Promotion is by no means out of the question but constant negatively helps no one. As they say, Keep the Faith.

Trevor Cockburn

Ed’s Note [Tom]: Hi Trevor - sorry for missing your sarcasm, we get some whacky and wonderful thoughts sent in, so your mini contract idea didn’t seem particularly tongue in cheek... though reading back I realize your intentions.

For the most part I agree with your idea of Parkinson needing time, the problem is, though, that we have six games until the window opens. We need a good points haul from those games in order to stay within a chance at finding promotion, in my opinion.

As such, there’s almost a Parkinson paradox here whereby we need points quickly as well as time to let the manager build a winning side.

Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

Sitting here after another dismal performance thinking the job is to big for Mr Phil Parkinson. I can see yet another season in this sh*t league with sh*t officials. All of our own making I may add. Mr Donald please wake up.

Rob Brown

Ed’s Note [Tom]: I see the need for Parkinson’s side to find their feet sooner rather than later, but I also think he’ll need some time to make his mark. It’s a really tough situation.

I think we need to see improvements in results by the end of December to be totally confident that we’re on the right track, otherwise the window becomes massive to any potential success - and with that comes added pressure on the manager and the club’s owners.