Fan Letters: “Stop looking through red and white tinted glasses” argues Sunderland fan

Dear Roker Report,

Hello Lads. You don’t have to print this, ‘cos I din’t want to get into a slanging match with the lad who [replied to my previous letter].

I know you’s love SAFC, but just cos in a poor, poor, poor, poor League One (i.e. Division 3) we ‘av beat a few poor teams, please don’t go about saying we have players who would get in other Div 3 teams.

As I said, this lot would struggle in Div 3 in Scotland, or maybe even Wales, have said from day one of this manager getting the job of managing SAFC was a joke I do not rate him his total miserable attitude and unsmiling often confrontational always not his fault attitude and his useless team selections or changing things when its not working.

Stop looking through red and white tinted glasses, and face up to the fact that over the last 18 months this shower of s***e ie players, owners and managers have got our beloved SAFC into the worst position we have ever been in.

If all these people had one per cent of the love and passion we have for SAFC, we would in the top six teams in the country - but they don’t. Have a look at their big posh houses and fancy cars then look at what we have as fans use most of us struggling day to day wondering where the next penny is coming from.

Look at your Maguires ‘n Charlie Wykes ‘n Will not not score Griggs and Greedy McGreedys, so stop telling me we have players, this lot included that they would get into other Division 3 teams when they play week in week out very, very poorly for SAFC.

If you performed as maybe a plumber or bricky or electrician as good as this lot supposedly play football you would be on the dole, which is where this current squad assembled by Parkinson should be. Just for reference, possibly the worst player ever to play for SAFC, i.e. Gareth Hall, would be a world beater compared to this lot representing SAFC at the minute.

Just my humble opinion of watching SAFC for nearly fifty years, I will defy anyone who says that at this time SAFC have some good players. I could pick if I was given the time a better bunch of players from the Northern League, I look at SAFC through my head at the moment ‘cos this lot, especially over the last 18 months, have totally broken my heart when it comes to SAFC.

I would love to strip everyone of these players of their financial wealth they have gained for total failure. I said earlier, you don’t have to print this but then again print it and send it to every single person making a good living out of SAFC, while us fans are heartbroken. Maybe the only way they could understand us if they were financially broken due to their total lack if passion and living in the real world.

Love SAFC but not impressed with the owners, managers, coaches, agents ‘n players, etc.

Jarvis ‘n William

Ed’s Note [Rich]: Cheers for another interesting reply William, and I hope you and Jarvis are keeping well. Football, for us fans, is a game of opinions and it’s our passion for our club that keeps us going. It wouldn’t be the same if we all agreed with one another, and debate and discussion is what Roker Report is all about. I’d much rather be arguing about the performances on the pitch than the financial nightmare off it, that’s for sure.

I do totally agree with you in that this is one of the worst Sunderland teams of all time. But I also think there’s passion (look at Grant Leadbitter this season and then try to tell me the lad doesn't care just as much as we do) some potential in there too, and the stats and results so far this season all point to us being one of the better sides in what is a pretty crap division.

The idea of stripping people of their wages based on bad performance in a game where someone has to loose is a bit harsh, like - these are generally working class lads who’ve dedicated their lives to providing us with entertainment. And I’ve never begrudged a player taking the best contract on offer; remember, they’re always one stupid tackle away from retirement and having to start their careers from scratch.

Going back to your original point, I think now is the right time for Parkinson to turn to the younger players to try to get some pace and variety into our play. Some of the senior pros clearly need a metaphorical rocket up their posteriors, and there’s nowt like the threat of loosing your place to a kid to keep you on your toes.

P.s. I didn’t think Gareth Hall was that bad back in the day, and I am very much looking forward to some third division Welsh non-league action when my local side eventually kick off this season after storming their tier 5 league last year.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

Our last game only confirmed our patched up defence couldn’t continue to hold out.

O’Nien is having to provide cover in so many positions, it seems he finally lost patience by being sent off. Gooch is not a defensive player and having Flanagan on instead at half time would have seen O’Nien move to right back (or wing back as they call it now).

I don’t believe McLaughlin is worthy of a place, so lets try our loan player Sanderson at right back next game.

David Haswell

Ed’s Note [Rich]: Cheers for your letter, Dave. I agree with all those points - other than I think McLaughlin hasn’t done anything wrong in the couple of games he’s appeared in so far. It was a funny decision of Parky to keep “square pegs in round holes” when there were other players on the bench who could have played in their natural positions, and I think it had an impact right across the pitch in what was a disjointed performance against Portsmouth.

Let’s hope we can put that behind us this evening.

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Dear Roker Report,

I have to start this by saying I was never a fan of the Phil Parkinson appointment. I feel as though Jack Ross was seriously unlucky with his time at Sunderland and if it were not for the Josh Maja saga we would have been promoted. Was it the best football? No, but it was working.

I honestly felt as though Parkinson should have been sacked after the bad run when he took over, and I honestly saw no way back for him. To his credit, he has made us defensively solid and hard to beat.

That being said, I find the omission of McGeady utterly bizarre. How people can question his commitment or attitude, after playing the back end of the 1st season in League One with a broken foot, is beyond me. I know we haven’t heard a lot, but from the bits we have heard it sounds to me like he just had high standards and there were players that were under performing. Is it not his job as a senior player to not let these players get comfortable in defeat?

At this point it just seems Parkys stubbornness is the only reason McGeady isn’t in the squad. He is by far the best player at the club (possibly at this level) and we are a team lacking an attacking spark. I feel if Parky was sacked tomorrow and a new manager came in, the first thing they would do is bring McGeady back into the fold.

Then this whole line about the youth coming through is the reason is utter rubbish. If that was the reason, fair enough but he is reducing them to appearances in the football league trophy and not even giving them a place on the bench in the league in most cases. Not sure why we usually have 3 strikers on the bench that mostly offer the same thing, nothing.

Get a few of these younger players in and around the match day squad and see what they can do. Diamond, Neil, Embleton (now fit) and hell, maybe even Benji after a few good games in the 23s for a bit of pace and power.

Sam Raper

Ed’s Note [Rich]: Hi Sam, thanks for writing in. I too think Jack Ross was probably harshly done by when he lost his job last autumn, but I’m on the other side of the McGeady-Parky debate; I think that when Geads was in the side last season it skewed the system, he was almost expected to “make things happen”, went in a huff when others made mistakes and often other players abdicated responsibility to him in the final third of the pitch. Without him, I believe we have had more variety in our play and others had the chance to shine.

I also suspect that, as well as the reported bust-up between him and Parkinson, there could be appearance bonuses and automatic extension clauses in his contract that stand in the way of a rapprochement at a time when, clearly, every penny counts.

But we can’t have it both ways either - we can bring back a 34 year old who hasn’t played in a year, or promote young players who offer something very similar.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Getty Images