Lose your best players and you only go one way

Rizla · 28th November 2011, 09:27 PM

Steve Bruce's complete lack of a football brain aside, we lost our five best players from last season and replaced them with a bunch of rejects from relegated sides - it really doesn't take Einstein to realise we would be in this predicament with a third of the season gone.

Bent, Gyan, Wellbeck, Henderson, Malbranque and Zenden between them either created or scored pretty much every goal we scored last season. It really was obvious what was going to happen yet for some resaon people just did not see it.

The manager ultimately has to carry the can, but Ellis Short and Niall Quinn must shoulder some of the blame here. We were always going to lose Wellbeck but I saw no desire whatsoever to hang onto Henderson and as for Bent, well Quinn and Short were as keen to trouser the £20 million as Bent was to go.

So here we are once more as Sunderland AFC - with a manager hopelessly out of his depth, a squad full of sub-standard players and a disillusioned faithful. Groundhog Day.

The answer - Bruce out and Hughes in with a remit of 17th place. I'd take that now.

JOEJA · 28th November 2011, 09:49 PM

Couldn't agree more a was in germany pre season and was worried as hell with what a saw but was shot down cos it was 'only pre season' . Bentdner aside poss larson there is no quality at all. Majority are players who have came from strugglin sides and two who it now looks like were being carried by quality team mates at manure. .

englishman abroad · 28th November 2011, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rizla

Steve Bruce's complete lack of a football brain aside, we lost our five best players from last season and replaced them with a bunch of rejects from relegated sides - it really doesn't take Einstein to realise we would be in this predicament with a third of the season gone.

Bent, Gyan, Wellbeck, Henderson, Malbranque and Zenden between them either created or scored pretty much every goal we scored last season. It really was obvious what was going to happen yet for some resaon people just did not see it.

The manager ultimately has to carry the can, but Ellis Short and Niall Quinn must shoulder some of the blame here. We were always going to lose Wellbeck but I saw no desire whatsoever to hang onto Henderson and as for Bent, well Quinn and Short were as keen to trouser the £20 million as Bent was to go.

So here we are once more as Sunderland AFC - with a manager hopelessly out of his depth, a squad full of sub-standard players and a disillusioned faithful. Groundhog Day.

The answer - Bruce out and Hughes in with a remit of 17th place. I'd take that now.

I believe the only reason Bruce is still manager of the club is because these two are responsible for so many of better players leaving the club and they must shoulder some of the blame for the current mess.

Connolly_31 · 28th November 2011, 09:51 PM

I can't believe ths hasn't been posted before.

seedysafc · 28th November 2011, 09:53 PM

He allowed quality to go and replaced it with quantity. With the exception of of a couple, this summer's signings were brought in to boost the numbers of the squad and therefore we have been left with a weaker first 11.

rowley2 · 28th November 2011, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rizla

Steve Bruce's complete lack of a football brain aside, we lost our five best players from last season and replaced them with a bunch of rejects from relegated sides - it really doesn't take Einstein to realise we would be in this predicament with a third of the season gone.

Bent, Gyan, Wellbeck, Henderson, Malbranque and Zenden between them either created or scored pretty much every goal we scored last season. It really was obvious what was going to happen yet for some resaon people just did not see it.

The manager ultimately has to carry the can, but Ellis Short and Niall Quinn must shoulder some of the blame here. We were always going to lose Wellbeck but I saw no desire whatsoever to hang onto Henderson and as for Bent, well Quinn and Short were as keen to trouser the £20 million as Bent was to go.

So here we are once more as Sunderland AFC - with a manager hopelessly out of his depth, a squad full of sub-standard players and a disillusioned faithful. Groundhog Day.

The answer - Bruce out and Hughes in with a remit of 17th place. I'd take that now.

I agree. I have thought this for a while. Sell your best players and you become a lesser team, and we weren't that good to start with.

Normal Service is resumed.

Rizla · 28th November 2011, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by englishman abroad

I believe the only reason Bruce is still manager of the club is because these two are responsible for so many of better players leaving the club and they must shoulder some of the blame for the current mess.

I think you're pretty close to the mark there mate, in many ways Bruce has become their 'yes man'.

smoker · 28th November 2011, 10:08 PM

Short's agenda has been clear since he came to the club: cut the wage bill, use the TV money to pay off the debt and try to sell the club for a profit.

He gave Sbragia nothing to spend, likewise Bruce was forced to bring in loan deals or sell to buy. Anyone on a high salary or asking for a raise has been shown the door. Just look at his behaviour in the last January transfer window, he wouldn't even pay 3 million for Ricardo Fuller when we were desparate for a striker.

You either back or sack a manager and this bloke does neither.

Erwin Rommel · 28th November 2011, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rizla

Steve Bruce's complete lack of a football brain aside, we lost our five best players from last season and replaced them with a bunch of rejects from relegated sides - it really doesn't take Einstein to realise we would be in this predicament with a third of the season gone.

Bent, Gyan, Wellbeck, Henderson, Malbranque and Zenden between them either created or scored pretty much every goal we scored last season. It really was obvious what was going to happen yet for some resaon people just did not see it.

The manager ultimately has to carry the can, but Ellis Short and Niall Quinn must shoulder some of the blame here. We were always going to lose Wellbeck but I saw no desire whatsoever to hang onto Henderson and as for Bent, well Quinn and Short were as keen to trouser the £20 million as Bent was to go.

So here we are once more as Sunderland AFC - with a manager hopelessly out of his depth, a squad full of sub-standard players and a disillusioned faithful. Groundhog Day.

The answer - Bruce out and Hughes in with a remit of 17th place. I'd take that now.

couldn't agree, spend peanuts and you get monkeys. Everyone is so pre-occupied with Bruce, incredible really. My issue with Bruce is that he went along with this, probably convincing Short and Quinn that he could streamline the wage bill, sell the better players and bring in new player at 'cut price' and still improve the leauge position. all Bruce has got out of this is that he has flushed his reputation down the toilet

Wise Man Says · 28th November 2011, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoker

Short's agenda has been clear since he came to the club: cut the wage bill, use the TV money to pay off the debt and try to sell the club for a profit.

He gave Sbragia nothing to spend, likewise Bruce was forced to bring in loan deals or sell to buy. Anyone on a high salary or asking for a raise has been shown the door. Just look at his behaviour in the last January transfer window, he wouldn't even pay 3 million for Ricardo Fuller when we were desparate for a striker.

You either back or sack a manager and this bloke does neither.

He wasn't even full owner then.