Fan Letters: If Sunderland sack Phil Parkinson, should they appoint Nigel Pearson and Super Kev?

Dear Roker Report,

For ten years or more we have put up with dreadful football and now probably the worst ever. The fans again been p*ssed on from a great height one player applauded the fans at the end of the game - a disgrace all of them.

From last season we have gone backwards - got to Wembley twice but lost.

The fans knew we needed pace and strength in the team again recruitment has been poor who do you blame? The board were spouting on about 100 points we have the best finances on paper and players football is played on grass not paper. The decision to sack Ross is looking the wrong one. The replacement Parkinson was supposed to be the candidate that stood out anyone can bullsh*t at interviews, Donald said he said all the right things. Parkinson has no tactics, his style of football long balls went out with the ark.

The team has no leaders, no passion and pride and more frightening no team work. The board has taken the fans for granted bad decision after bad decision, for christ’s sake what fans would have replaced their own stadium seats and turned up to watch this shite? The fans want answers not excuse after excuse - all we hear is get behind the team would you. All I want at least to see is effort and 100% commitment every week. We need a stronger manager, not a board that is only interested in selling the club for a vast profit not for what goes on the pitch, because if we can’t get that right everything will go pear shaped. The whole mood around the club is down and negative.

Wrong decisions have been made, and in any business heads should roll. Parkinson should resign - he has already lost the players. And the board - sell the club. It’s too big.

Promotion looks a long way away.

Mark Wild

Ed’s Note [Gav]: The biggest blot on Stewart Donald’s copysheet is undoubtedly the club’s recruitment strategy and football operations since he arrived. There’s no clear and obvious plan in place, and having spoke about replicating a model used by Borussia Dortmund he has left himself open to immense scrutiny, particular since it’s obvious we have been working with a paper thin recruitment team and have no real plan in place beyond signing names we perceive will be good enough to succeed at this level.

In the summer this should have been recognised, particularly after the farce that was the January transfer window. Once it became obvious to everyone that Will Grigg was not the answer, the light should have come on and Stewart should have recognised that his personal interference in that particular deal - it has since came to light that Stewart made it his personal task to ensure the transfer was completed - should not have happened.

I’ve spoken about this repeatedly, but a Director of Football is crucially needed at Sunderland. I have no problem with Stewart and Charlie’s running of the business side of the club and think they’ve made some hugely positive moves. They should not have any influence on the footballing side of the operation, though, and it’s clear that there’s a complete lack of direction in that area.

There’s nobody acting as the buffer between owner, and those beneath him - namely Tony Coton (Chief Scout), Richard Hill (Head of Football Operations), Paul Reid (Academy Manager), and the managers of our 1st team, U23s and U18s.

Stewart and Charlie have other commitments. Stewart recently admitted his personal life has taken a back-seat due to his work with the club. Charlie runs a PR firm, and has his own family life too. They aren’t able to be in Sunderland six days a week to oversee the running of the football club, and that lack of direction is not helpful.

Placing someone else in that position is vital, and could prove to be important in how the direction of the club moves either positively or negatively between now and the end of their tenure as owners, whenever that may be.

Photo by Sunderland AFC/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

Well another defeat and fans are now turning “toxic”.

Questions now have to asked of the current owners as this current managerial appointment “on the cheap” is simply not working. Stewart - you act now; stop our club sinking deeper into the oblivion, admit you made an error, get rid of Parkinson now before Christmas, and bring in Pearson & Philips before it’s too late.

I - like many others - am despondent with our current plight and I’m frankly embarrassed to be a fan of the club I love and have done since late 70’s.

I’m now 57 - long suffering like many for far too long.

Doug Raine

Ed’s Note [Gav]: Pearson and Phillips seem to be the favoured choice to replace Parkinson should he leave, and I can see why. They’ve worked together before... one is a club legend... the other is an authoritarian with experience of promotion from this level and experience of managing in the top flight... it makes a lot of sense.

I was told Pearson didn’t want the job when we were looking to replace Jack Ross, but I’d be intrigued to know why. I suspect it was because of more than just money reasons - he likely wanted to assemble a full backroom team of his own, rather than being about anything else. My personal choice would be Neil Warnock.

Photo by Plumb Images/Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

I said earlier this week that if we lost to Burton I hoped Pratkinson would be gone on Wed. I will be so bold as to say to all you loyal SAFC fans - please take off the red and white tinted glasses, stop listening to this Pratkinson buffoon. Please let him be gone and hope someone can come in and stop us going to League One.

Don’t think it can’t happen cos this clown is taking us there - as I have said in other messages, another defeat equals another lowest ever league position.

Please print this and let someone convince me I am wrong.

Billy and Jarvis

Ed’s Note [Gav]: Mate, you really need to drop the Pratkinson thing. It’s not funny.

That aside... yes, he’s clearly not the man for us but I don’t believe we’ll be sucked into a relegation battle. He’ll be sacked long before it gets to that point.