Fan Letters: “Hemir’s treatment during the past week has been strange”

Dear Roker Report,

What do you make of Hemir’s isolation over the last week or so?

He’s gone from being a confident pre-season scorer to turning out for the U21s, but why?

Answers on a postcard?

John

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, John. Thanks for getting in touch!

Personally, I found Hemir’s omission from the starting XI at Preston quite strange.

OK, he didn’t mark his competitive debut against Ipswich with a goal but I felt that he deserved the chance to continue to make a case for himself, and it was a shock to see him on the bench at Deepdale.

It’s clear that he’s still building up his form, fitness and confidence, and the only way that’s likely to happen is through regular game time.

I really hope he starts against Rotherham on Saturday, in what’s certain to be quite a physical and challenging encounter.

Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Dear Roker Report,

It’s very disappointing to hear Tony Mowbray saying that it’s hard for a club like Sunderland to compete in the transfer market.

First and foremost, I believe we have two multi-millionaires in our boardroom and we’re raking in big revenue.

I personally believe that we should hand Ross Stewart the money he wants, and give Mowbray the eight million for the recently-linked Chilean striker.

We have to act fast before it’s too late!

Robert Averre

Ed’s Note [Phil] Hi, Robert. Thanks for your letter.

Mowbray’s comments about how we compete with other clubs in this league were actually fairly valid, I felt.

If you look at the former Premier League clubs who have parachute payments available to spend, as well as others who are overstretching themselves financially as they chase the Premier League dream, it’s getting harder and harder to strike the balance between being competitive and being financially stable.

The current transfer market also shows how vital it is to have assets in your squad- players who could potentially be sold for large sums with a view to reinvesting the money with the aim of future progress.

That’s the very basis of how we operate nowadays, and only time will tell if it’s successful or not.

Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Dear Roker Report,

It’s already clear how much we’re going to miss Amad, so why not use his success to offer Manchester United a solution to the Mason Greenwood dilemma?

There’s no footballing reason to not take him on loan, and to all those who say there’s no smoke without fire, remember the same police force withheld evidence that led to an innocent man serving nearly twenty years for the offence that Greenwood was cleared of.

J.Wales

Ed’s Note [Phil] Hi, J. Thanks for your letter.

Sunderland A.F.C. should not be anywhere near Mason Greenwood or even vaguely linked with a move for him. Ever.

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Dear Roker Report,

Having read the letters on here week in and week out, it seems that the fans aren’t happy after the first three games, and who can blame them?

We’ve brought in untried young players and the experience isn’t there for this division. Apart from the injuries from last season that are still ongoing, why don’t we play the team that got us out of League One and get some points in the bag?

After the first ten or twelve games, teams’ positions can often fluctuate, but the table then seems to settle down.

So, keep a winning team together if possible, with the exception of an injury or two, and keep the players in the same positions so they’ll know where they stand.

No footballer likes sitting on the bench but they have to prove that they’re good enough to get picked the following week. When everyone is fit, it gives manager the choice as to who plays. It might be difficult but at least we’ll have a winning team.

I remember times when we were in the Championship and we seemed to forget what losing was and were promoted at the top of the league instead of fighting for the playoffs.

I don’t expect us to win every week but I don’t expect to lose either, and our pathetic home form needs to be looked at.

Bill Calvert

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Bill. Thanks for your letter.

In the first instance, our home form definitely needs to improve this season, without a doubt. It was a real weakness last season and this weekend’s game against Rotherham is the kind of match that could really kickstart things if we’re able to pick up a victory.

When it comes to continuity of selection, I think Tony Mowbray is trying to strike the balance between giving players opportunities to impress and ensuring he can field a starting XI that he can trust to achieve results.

That’s just one of the byproducts of having a young squad, and it’ll be interesting to see how certain players are rotated in and out of the team when necessary.

Photo by Dave Howarth - CameraSport via Getty Images

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