Roker Roundup: “I wish I hadn’t said it” - David Moyes opens up on disaster Sunderland spell

Moyes admits Sunderland error

David Moyes has admitted that he should never have said Sunderland would be in a relegation battle after a day defeat to Middlesbrough in the 2016/17 season.

Speaking after the first home game of the season, a 2-1 defeat to Boro, Moyes was asked whether the team who stayed up in style under Sam Allardyce the previous season - losing only two of the final 14 games - would be in another relegation battle, and he responded with a negative answer that would sum up his time in charge of the club:

Well, they would probably be right because that’s where they’ve been every other year for the last four years, so why would it suddenly change?

I think it will be, I don’t think you can hide the facts, that will be the case, yes. People will be flat because they are hoping that something is going to dramatically change - it can’t dramatically change, it can’t.

Moyes has since gone on to manage West Ham United but appearing in the Beinsports studio yesterday as an analyst for their Leicester City/Newcastle United coverage, the Scot admitted that he should never responded in that way:

Well I wish I hadn’t said it... but I was trying to be as honest as I possibly could be to everybody. To say I don’t see how we are going to get through this season without a struggle.

That didn’t mean we were going to get relegated but it meant that we were going to be in a relegation battle but I regret saying it because it was negative and I wish I hadn’t said that.

I think people nowadays don’t really want that [negativity] and actually being honest is quite often to be disliked.

I think with me being honest, it probably made me disliked.

Robson stars again

Sunderland loanees continue to shine whilst on-loan at Grimsby Town. After Elliot Embleton had a starring role for The Mariners last season, Ethan Robson is proving his worth there this season.

The midfielder scored a great solo effort last week, and after missing out in a Carabao Cup defeat at Chelsea during midweek, Robson returned to the side this weekend and scored two fantastic goals in a 3-1 win at Exeter City.

The midfielder was named man of the match with the Grimsby Telegraph expecting the 22-year-old to go on to achieve great things:

Ethan ROBSON: Simply sublime in the centre of the park. Possesses the touch of a player destined for big things, and both of his goals showed just how much class he has in that left foot 9/10 (STAR MAN)

You can watch Robson’s goals in the highlights below: