Fan Letters: “Someone at the club needs to take ownership of what is going on at Sunderland”

Dear Roker Report,

I believe that everyone at the club needs to have a good look at themselves in the mirror and figure out what is really going on at the club. Someone at the club needs to take ownership of what is going on at Sunderland. Someone within the playing squad needs to step up and be a leader and help guide this team out of this disaster that they find themselves in. Someone has to push everyone around them to become a better player, instead of just going through the motions and not caring about how the team is doing. And Parkinson has to go if the club have any hopes of being promoted to The Championship.

I have only been able to watch a couple of games since Sunderland were relegated into League 1, but it seems as if Sunderland need someone like Cattermole that can get the best out of the people around him, who can make the players actually care about what they are doing, and give this team a little heart and steel.

It seems as if optimism may be running out (or is already gone) about the season. But despite everything that has happened at the club this season, Sunderland are still only six points out of third place in the league. If everyone at the club stops pointing figures at each other and someone decides to take charge and be a leader, this team can still be promoted this season.

It is most certainly not that easy, and I have not been able to see how the dreadful the team has been recently, but all it takes is a little bit of leadership and maybe a bit of luck. There is still more than half of a season to play and a transfer window to still get through. There is still time to right the ship and get back on track, but it has to start on Saturday against Blackpool and not in the middle of March.

Matthew Ricchiazzi - Sunderland Fan in U.S.A.

Ed’s Note [Tom]: Hi Matthew, I think the issue is that - as you noted - the club are lacking stern leadership throughout. Behind the scenes, in the dugout, and on the pitch the club simply doesn’t look like it has a real plan of action. I’ve argued for a while now that we could do with a Director of Football, but the problem that many fans are rightly noticing is that the club looks in need of a huge overhaul again. Hoping we find a change in our fortunes, but not holding my breath at present.

Dear Roker Report,

So everyone at SAFC from owner to the manager to the players reckon they are all in it to get the right results for SAFC. Stop talking the talk and walk the walk.

In other words stop b****s*****g and get yer lazy bone idol overinflated egos and pay packets and start doing your jobs i.e. playing football instead of worrying where your next tattoo is coming from. Yes that means you Maguire or else you all will go down in history as the most hated players manager and owners in SAFC history. YOU ARE ALL A DISGRACE NOT TO SAFC BUT FOOTBALL IN GENERAL. Sort it or get knotted, every last one of you.

William and Jarvis

Ed’s Note [Tom]: Hi William and Jarvis, there’s definitely an element of the players needing to do more in order to change our fortunes. Ultimately, though, I think there are huge issues throughout the club at the minute. As such, it’ll probably be a difficult season ahead. The club feels as though it needs a kick up the arse and a character or characters capable of grabbing the squad by the scruff of the neck and leading them back to winning.