Neither of them should have been bought to replace Bent. I couldn't give a shit how much he cost, not putting your head in where is doesn't even hurt is inexcusable in my eyes.
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Neither of them should have been bought to replace Bent. I couldn't give a shit how much he cost, not putting your head in where is doesn't even hurt is inexcusable in my eyes.
Gonk
Winger
Here's a break down of his time with Sunderland.
Season 1;
Became our manager just after we had avoided relegation by a **** hair and started signing lots of players which got the fans excited, most notably a proven goal-scorer in Darren Bent.
We got off to a good start and Bent hit the ground running. He ended up scoring 24 league goals that season which was fantastic.
However, if we didn't have Bent that year we could very well have gone down, because we were essentially a 1-man team. We went on long winless runs where the weaknesses of the team were magnified, most notably the lack of goals scored by anyone other than Bent.
Finished 13th which was an improvement on the previous year, so most fans were relieved.
Season 2;
Kept Bent, signed a few more players who were better than who we previously had. Got Danny Welbeck on loan and signed Asamoah Gyan for a club record fee.
Spirits were high, we had a good team on paper, but by and large a lot of the same problems remained.
We got smashed 5-1 in our local derby, probably the most humiliating display a lot of fans had ever seen from a Sunderland side.
On the plus side we beat Chelsea 3-0 at the bridge.
Once again the season yo-yo'd like the previous one.
We went on more long winless runs.
Bruce played no strikers in cup games against lower league opposition and we rightly got eliminated for it in the early rounds.
Sold Bent in the January transfer window to Villa, and had a limp to the finish line for the rest of the season.
We finished 10th, but only by a massive fluke and stroke of luck, as Newcastle completely capitulated in their final game against West Brom and we beat a terrible, already relegated West Ham team. I believe we finished 10th on goal difference (I may be wrong)
Season 3;
The summer transfer window was horrendous. We didn't replace Bent, Welbeck went back to United and we didn't replace him either. He seemingly fell out with Gyan and sent him out on loan to a team in the middle east. His solution to replacing the 3 strikers we lost was to sign Bendtner on loan.
He then signed really average players from relegated teams such as Seb Larson, Craig Gardner, David Vaughn etc. All of whom were on big contracts and big wages. We are still stuck with a lot of these signings now which is why we constantly struggle.
The season was a disaster. Excuses were rolled out, the favourite being "The players need time to gel" month after month.
He started blaming the fans for having "unrealistic expectations" and said "Let's not get above our station, we're Sunderland."
Started accusing the fans of only being critical of him because of his "Geordie roots" and rolled out the phrase "I can't help where I came from!" week after week. He didn't stop to think that maybe he was being criticized for bad signings, not replacing top players, and having a complete lack of a tactical plan B when games were not going our way (Which was often).
All the excuses, blaming the fans and passing the buck came to a head when we lost at home to Wigan after another terrible performance, and the home crowd turned on him.
He was sacked, and constantly spouted off in the media about how "we finished 10th" his "geordie roots" and "the players still needed time to gel".
Excuses excuses excuses and not owning up to the massive mistakes he made.
Have I missed anything?
Season 1;
Became our manager just after we had avoided relegation by a **** hair and started signing lots of players which got the fans excited, most notably a proven goal-scorer in Darren Bent.
We got off to a good start and Bent hit the ground running. He ended up scoring 24 league goals that season which was fantastic.
However, if we didn't have Bent that year we could very well have gone down, because we were essentially a 1-man team. We went on long winless runs where the weaknesses of the team were magnified, most notably the lack of goals scored by anyone other than Bent.
Finished 13th which was an improvement on the previous year, so most fans were relieved.
Season 2;
Kept Bent, signed a few more players who were better than who we previously had. Got Danny Welbeck on loan and signed Asamoah Gyan for a club record fee.
Spirits were high, we had a good team on paper, but by and large a lot of the same problems remained.
We got smashed 5-1 in our local derby, probably the most humiliating display a lot of fans had ever seen from a Sunderland side.
On the plus side we beat Chelsea 3-0 at the bridge.
Once again the season yo-yo'd like the previous one.
We went on more long winless runs.
Bruce played no strikers in cup games against lower league opposition and we rightly got eliminated for it in the early rounds.
Sold Bent in the January transfer window to Villa, and had a limp to the finish line for the rest of the season.
We finished 10th, but only by a massive fluke and stroke of luck, as Newcastle completely capitulated in their final game against West Brom and we beat a terrible, already relegated West Ham team. I believe we finished 10th on goal difference (I may be wrong)
Season 3;
The summer transfer window was horrendous. We didn't replace Bent, Welbeck went back to United and we didn't replace him either. He seemingly fell out with Gyan and sent him out on loan to a team in the middle east. His solution to replacing the 3 strikers we lost was to sign Bendtner on loan.
He then signed really average players from relegated teams such as Seb Larson, Craig Gardner, David Vaughn etc. All of whom were on big contracts and big wages. We are still stuck with a lot of these signings now which is why we constantly struggle.
The season was a disaster. Excuses were rolled out, the favourite being "The players need time to gel" month after month.
He started blaming the fans for having "unrealistic expectations" and said "Let's not get above our station, we're Sunderland."
Started accusing the fans of only being critical of him because of his "Geordie roots" and rolled out the phrase "I can't help where I came from!" week after week. He didn't stop to think that maybe he was being criticized for bad signings, not replacing top players, and having a complete lack of a tactical plan B when games were not going our way (Which was often).
All the excuses, blaming the fans and passing the buck came to a head when we lost at home to Wigan after another terrible performance, and the home crowd turned on him.
He was sacked, and constantly spouted off in the media about how "we finished 10th" his "geordie roots" and "the players still needed time to gel".
Excuses excuses excuses and not owning up to the massive mistakes he made.
Have I missed anything?
W
winlatonblackcat
Guest
Has OP gone to bed? Early start for Wembley in the morning.
R
ramsey
Guest
Listen marra...how long have you been watching football? Firstly, only a few retarded individuals will constantly talk about one botched header like yourself. Even Ronaldo and Messi made mistakes and missed sitters. Second he was deciding between heading it or kicking it and came our awkward. Very funny how often we forget about his goal against City, Chelsea and our Olympic team and yet our experts favorite subject is Palace and MK Don when it comes to Ji. Canny how MON supporters think alike. At the end of the day..Ji will be in Dortmund next year while Wickham will be missing a sitter against Bolton at the Robock stadium.
Blythmakam
Full Back
You will see the answer to your question around Christmas time next season......
Duracel Funny
Striker
I am clearly in the minority who thinks we got rid too soon.
R
ramsey
Guest
This....
Pirate Jet
Winger
I'm interested why you think he would have turned things around?
HutchSafc
Striker
To be fair in "season 2" we were class up until February Newcastle result aside and we should have finished a lot higher.
R
ramsey
Guest
Fat finger mate....And been drinking whisky since 3pm. But shows your age and explains why you are so stubborn. As the classic Yank movie would say " No country for old man"Bore off mate, f***ing Robock indeed
I went to Burnden Park before you were born
Cypher
Striker
Because none of us could ever hit the bull (shit) merchant. Darts seriously though. He is surely taking the inflated cushion face jibe too far.
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Ageing Grey Mackem
Striker
Not as long as Dean Whitehead and David Vaughan are earning a living from the game.
D
Deleted member 21726
Guest
i said it at the time that we should have supported him and the team during our bad runs but he was a dead man walking unfortunately. also felt we would have turned the corner under him.
The Great MES
Striker
This time next year he will be manager of the mags
Doberman
Striker
he bought Asamoah Gyan. Neither Wickham or Ji were direct replacements for Bent.
englishman abroad
Striker
Keep Amy Bruce away from your players, as soon is she starts boning your best player, and Bruce moves him on you might feel differently.
Duracel Funny
Striker
I felt the football was more incisive than under successive managers and with the quality of players we had we would of faired much better than we have. Scouting seemed to be better too. I'm not saying he was without shortcomings, the long winless runs showed he had failings but think he'd of come good.
supernaut1968
Striker
As a Hull City fan you should be very worried. Just look at the clubs he's managed and the mess he left them in.
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