Roker Rapport Podcast: With Sunderland AFC owner Stewart Donald

[Deleted member 35923]

And the possibility of being promoted to the prem without him being integral to that is a non-starter?

I thought we weren't able to buy our way to success, if that is the case, shouldn't we start practising being successful without throwing cash about?

What in my questions to Stewart Donald said I want to debate the effect and value of Will Grigg in this thread?

So you have an opinion that the purchase of Will Grigg wasn't overpriced, that's fine but I'd prefer Stewart Donald's opinion.



He's certainly quirky. No harm in that but it can grate when someone believes their own opinion is factual, misunderstands a lot and renders someone else' thoughts unimportant.

Or the club’s history

 

[Coeus]

the database would surely be their IP? and if i were the other shareholder in monaco I wouldnt be thrilled that the ip i have a stake in is being given away..the other shareholder is the crown prince of monaco, juan wouldnt want to fuck with him like, his father in law, who owns moanco has been asdked to leave as he is so very didgy, and thats why the club is for sale.
I wasntthinking all your questions had been answered, you put forward severall, a small number had been answered several hadnt. the ones that hadnt are quite shrewd questions that it would be great to have answered.

That's a reasonable assumption, perhaps we could work something out that would be mutually beneficial, like providing any player from said database a first refusal to Moncao. Worth a conversation no? If it came of nothing then so be it however it would show we were attempting to innovate.

I got the wrong end of the stick then when you said about Donald doing the podcasts then.

 

[kildaremackem]

Or the club’s history

the clubs recent history is it stank out the prem for ten years, then got relagted again...thats the iamge the world has of safc, thats what matters, not cups wun decades and more ago.

That's a reasonable assumption, perhaps we could work something out that would be mutually beneficial, like providing any player from said database a first refusal to Moncao. Worth a conversation no? If it came of nothing then so be it however it would show we were attempting to innovate.

I got the wrong end of the stick then when you said about Donald doing the podcasts then.

we could, but as the owenr of moanco that juan knows is selling, and is deeply unpopular in monaco with the people that matter, he wont be in a positoon to do that deal...but its an innovative idea for sure, in general, as atm a lot of power agents have is they have those inter connections at clubs..if we could disintermediate them, it would be hugely significant.

 

[sksk3021]

the clubs recent history is it stank out the prem for ten years, then got relagted again...thats the iamge the world has of safc, thats what matters, not cups wun decades and more ago.


we could, but as the owenr of moanco that juan knows is selling, and is deeply unpopular in monaco with the people that matter, he wont be in a positoon to do that deal...but its an innovative idea for sure, in general, as atm a lot of power agents have is they have those inter connections at clubs..if we could disintermediate them, it would be hugely significant.

I think that’s absolute rubbish, I am proud of our history it matters to me. I think most genuine football fans respect it.

 

[kildaremackem]

I think that’s absolute rubbish, I am proud of our history it matters to me. I think most genuine football fans respect it.

i think it should be respected, and if your proiud of it thats fine, good luck to you.

 

[Deleted member 35923]

I think that’s absolute rubbish, I am proud of our history it matters to me. I think most genuine football fans respect it.

Absolutely spot on mate. And I don’t think any genuine supporter of this club would say otherwise.

The history is what makes the club. It’s decades of success, near misses, highs and lows, wins and losses. For someone who seemingly has a minor affiliation with the club, particularly whilst calling themselves Mackem, to say otherwise is a load of bollocks and fairly disrespectful to people who do actually care.

 

[kildaremackem]

Absolutely spot on mate. And I don’t think any genuine supporter of this club would say otherwise.

The history is what makes the club. It’s decades of success, near misses, highs and lows, wins and losses. For someone who seemingly has a minor affiliation with the club, particularly whilst calling themselves Mackem, to say otherwise is a load of bollocks and fairly disrespectful to people who do actually care.

every club etc has had those, sunderland are not unique in that, there are unique things about safc, very valuable things, but having a history isnt one of them.

 

[Coeus]

the clubs recent history is it stank out the prem for ten years, then got relagted again...thats the iamge the world has of safc, thats what matters, not cups wun decades and more ago.


we could, but as the owenr of moanco that juan knows is selling, and is deeply unpopular in monaco with the people that matter, he wont be in a positoon to do that deal...but its an innovative idea for sure, in general, as atm a lot of power agents have is they have those inter connections at clubs..if we could disintermediate them, it would be hugely significant.

I'm led to believe that Monaco's restructuring from a play toy who overspent ridiculously to a club with a lot of Europe's best young players was through their scouting set up, even if we could not gain access to a database which I think we could, there is a huge amount of knowledge to be had on how to restructure in such a way, away from the dependence as you rightly stated agents have would be invaluable. All of these discussions, idea's is what I meant by them having the conversation and certainly not something Stewart has spoken about.

 

[kildaremackem]

I'm led to believe that Monaco's restructuring from a play toy who overspent ridiculously to a club with a lot of Europe's best young players was through their scouting set up, even if we could not gain access to a database which I think we could, there is a huge amount of knowledge to be had on how to restructure in such a way, away from the dependence as you rightly stated agents have would be invaluable. All of these discussions, idea's is what I meant by them having the conversation and certainly not something Stewart has spoken about.

why could we? the owner is selling, the guy that runs the country and is a shareholder in the club hates the owner, why would a buisness that is for sale give away its ip to someone else, it would reduce the value of the business?! it would reduce the value of the shareholding of the minority shareholder, the one who isnt selling, why would he agree to it? he doesnt ghave any connection to our owner, shareholders director or club, in fact, the connection between the two is a person he has kicked out of his country!

 

[Deleted member 35923]

every club etc has had those, sunderland are not unique in that, there are unique things about safc, very valuable things, but having a history isnt one of them.

Not every club has had decades of success as we did from forming until the outbreak of war. Not every club has had a period of longevity in the top flight that we had. Not every team has broken world transfer record fees to earn the label the ‘Bank of England’ club. Not every club has had European golden boot winners. Not every club has hosted the national side on three occasions. Not every club has hosted World Cup quarter final fixtures.

I know my club’s history. And I know that it is a rich one.

 

[kildaremackem]

Not every club has had decades of success as we did from forming until the outbreak of war. Not every club has had a period of longevity in the top flight that we had. Not every team has broken world transfer record fees to earn the label the ‘Bank of England’ club. Not every club has had European golden boot winners. Not every club has hosted the national side on three occasions. Not every club has hosted World Cup quarter final fixtures.

I know my club’s history. And I know that it is a rich one.

and thats whats awful..harking back to a period pre war...i mean yes safc were above averagaly successful then, but what value does that have now? the team stank out the leagues it played in for eleven years...recently, why is the pore war thing that no one living can remember more significant than the last eleven years-in the minds of people alive today-taht you need to engage with. SAFC have got aboive average potential, but the only way it can maximise that is to drop the daft sense of entitlement that comes from winning things eons ago...

 

[Coeus]

why could we? the owner is selling, the guy that runs the country and is a shareholder in the club hates the owner, why would a buisness that is for sale give away its ip to someone else, it would reduce the value of the business?! it would reduce the value of the shareholding of the minority shareholder, the one who isnt selling, why would he agree to it? he doesnt ghave any connection to our owner, shareholders director or club, in fact, the connection between the two is a person he has kicked out of his country!

I wasn't aware he had been kicked out of the country.

If it is that bad then perhaps I am wrong, but if a database that the club has no plan on acting upon in the near future and they gained the first refusal on players then it would provide options to them at little to no drawback.

Say we can't do that, can the owner ask whoever oversaw the restructuring and implemented the new system to discuss with us how it was done, what they would do differently if they had to do it again, etc??

Seems a fair enough question to me, but if in your mind it is a brick wall then that's fine as well.

 

[DrewC]

It's that time again - we're sitting down this weekend with Sunderland AFC owner Stewart Donald for the first time since February for another in-depth and exclusive episode of the Roker Rapport Podcast.

As always, I want to canvass as many supporters as possible in order to ensure we cover off all the things people want us to cover off. All questions we put to Stewart will have been submitted by readers, listeners, social media followers and folk off here.

So please, reply to this thread with anything you feel is worth asking and we'll try and squeeze as much as we possibly can into the show.

Cheers!

Is Sunderland pre season in the future coming to the USA in particular Minneapolis/St Paul?

 

[kildaremackem]

I wasn't aware he had been kicked out of the country.

If it is that bad then perhaps I am wrong, but if a database that the club has no plan on acting upon in the near future and they gained the first refusal on players then it would provide options to them at little to no drawback.

Say we can't do that, can the owner ask whoever oversaw the restructuring and implemented the new system to discuss with us how it was done, what they would do differently if they had to do it again, etc??

Seems a fair enough question to me, but if in your mind it is a brick wall then that's fine as well.

recruiting the person/people who did it is a teriffic idea of course...if that were possible. certainly its a major area of improvement for safc.
the guy has been charged with crimes in monaco since november i believe, the the crown prince is desperately distancing himself from him,,,

Rybolovlev's Rules: A Russian Billionaire's Monaco Fiefdom - SPIEGEL ONLINE - International

 

[Deleted member 35923]

and thats whats awful..harking back to a period pre war...i mean yes safc were above averagaly successful then, but what value does that have now? the team stank out the leagues it played in for eleven years...recently, why is the pore war thing that no one living can remember more significant than the last eleven years-in the minds of people alive today-taht you need to engage with. SAFC have got aboive average potential, but the only way it can maximise that is to drop the daft sense of entitlement that comes from winning things eons ago...

What’s awful is that we don’t ‘hark’ back to those days anywhere near enough; we are the exact opposite. Man United celebrate Busby, Liverpool celebrate Shankly, Everton celebrate Dean, Spurs celebrate Blanchflower and Nicholson, Newcastle celebrate Milburn.

Clubs that are proud of their history and realise that it is important and it shows the world why they are big, historic clubs with proper stories and heroes, that captures the imagination of future generations and creates an expectation that we absolutely should have.

Instead, we seemingly have people like yourself telling us it isn’t important that we have one of the richest histories in the English game. That it doesn’t matter. Well bollocks, if it doesn’t matter to you then don’t claim to be a Sunderland supporter or a ‘Mackem’.

Anyway, that’s the last I’ll say on it

 

[TAFKAHM]

Why have we allowed teams to timewaste against us all season at home. The lack of ballboys/girls is so noticeable when the opposition are taking goal kicks and throw-ins. We have missed a trick by not acting to get the ball back in play as quickly as possible.

Yes, get this asked, noticed myself on numerous occasions, very frustrating at times.....

 

[seanwharton]

Aye someit going on, appeared at the right time, pretty sure he doesn't support SAFC

what we have had is him answerting wuestions on those or doing the PR for them...do you think he organised the purchase of the seast himself or got the head of facilities to do it? do you think he sits in the room with the academty players and talks numbers, or does the head of the football department do it? stewrat did it with josh maja at the end a;; right, but not day to day.
The owners did go through every line of cost..but neil does it, as he has done throughout his career with stewart..

when did Neil come

and thats whats awful..harking back to a period pre war...i mean yes safc were above averagaly successful then, but what value does that have now? the team stank out the leagues it played in for eleven years...recently, why is the pore war thing that no one living can remember more significant than the last eleven years-in the minds of people alive today-taht you need to engage with. SAFC have got aboive average potential, but the only way it can maximise that is to drop the daft sense of entitlement that comes from winning things eons ago...

It is fashionable and revisionist to now say that the decade long Premier League stay was all bad and we added no value . Under Bruce , Keane , Poyet and to a lesser extent MON we had periods when we were excellent or under Keane for a season we played on the front foot and added value to the League . I’m that time we had Bent and Defoe up front at different times and they to use your term didn’t stink anything out . We in that period dismantled Chelsea at Stamford Bridge , won there again , won at OT . Went toe to toe with Liverpool at Anfield and City at the Etihad and cane away with score draws . We beat all the top sides at the SOL in that period .

In terms of history it wasn’t until post war that we were overtaken in terms of league titles won
In the sense of the cities to have won the most titles we are the only one in the top five not to be one of England’s major cities
We were known as the Bank of England club and indeed the team of all talents .
Anecdotally the best games seen at Highbury and Goodison involved Sunderland
Police estimates in 1964 suggest 120,000 tried to watch Sunderland against Man Utd when we were a second division side
No relegation until 1958
Huge crowds over our whole historical period
The gargantuan wonderful Roker End
The Roker Roar
The magnificent city against city region wide rivalry with Newcastle United
The biggest away win in top flight history
I could go on but you are wrong to devalue our history and to have no understanding of our role in the history of the game . Our history is unique and me and many many others are immensely proud of it
.

 

[samaistonsrightfoot]

Do we have players who will want to leave if we don't go up? (not asking for names)

Will we be looking to offload our best/highest paid players if we don't go up, particulary Mcgeady?

 

[sksk3021]

and thats whats awful..harking back to a period pre war...i mean yes safc were above averagaly successful then, but what value does that have now? the team stank out the leagues it played in for eleven years...recently, why is the pore war thing that no one living can remember more significant than the last eleven years-in the minds of people alive today-taht you need to engage with. SAFC have got aboive average potential, but the only way it can maximise that is to drop the daft sense of entitlement that comes from winning things eons ago...

We didn’t stink out the league for 11 years at all what a load of absolute rubbish.
No idea where you have got the impression there is any sense of entitlement either.

 

[Deleted member 35923]

We didn’t stink out the league for 11 years at all what a load of absolute rubbish.
No idea where you have got the impression there is any sense of entitlement either.

The worrying thing is is that this poster clearly has some kind of connection to the people running the club and he doesn’t hold the club in very high regard