Sunderland Legends In Conversation I Defoe I Phillips I Reid



DH9 said:
Just wish Reidy hadn’t interrupted Defoe when he was on about Alex Neil and why he left, think he would have said more.
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Fair comment, we were just getting to an unknown or unpublicised end and Reidy jumped in with a man management story
 
Defoe didn't like Neil from day one. Knew he was gonna jump ship at first opportunity. Made Defoe train with a fucked hamstring and do extra running with subs on sundays even after not playing. Defoe asked for the extra days rest but Neil wouldn't let him. Spoke with his Mam and retired cos of the above and the fact he felt guilty denying the young uns a chance when he knew he was on the way out. Said there was other things he couldn't talk about.

Top class night
 
safcra2023 said:
What did he say about leaving?
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He said he couldn’t understand why Neil was making him go out and do the warm down when he hadn’t played and was 39 years old at the time when the likes of Allardyce knew his age wasnt on his side even at 34 and put his trust in him to pick and choose when he decided he wanted to train. He was in the best form of his career under Sam and got back in the England squad because of his man-management.

He then went on to basically slate snake boy’s man management he did say there was other factors but didn’t want to go into detail but as someone has just mentioned there he was about to go into more detail until Reidy piped up.

Was a brilliant night mind! Reidy in particular was on top form and a few glasses of red deep by the time it started! 🤣
 
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moshpit said:
Defoe didn't like Neil from day one. Knew he was gonna jump ship at first opportunity. Made Defoe train with a fucked hamstring and do extra running with subs on sundays even after not playing. Defoe asked for the extra days rest but Neil wouldn't let him. Spoke with his Mam and retired cos of the above and the fact he felt guilty denying the young uns a chance when he knew he was on the way out. Said there was other things he couldn't talk about.

Top class night
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The denying young players a chance thing still is bollocks to me, we had one young striker/winger, Kimpiyoka who we sold a week or so after Defoe retired.
 
Couldn’t have been Alex Neil that Defoe was pissed off at, as we’ve been told by posters it was because of Speakman.
 
Blyth said:
Couldn’t have been Alex Neil that Defoe was pissed off at, as we’ve been told by posters it was because of Speakman.
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Might have been Speakman as well, he said he couldn’t talk about it.

Also notice they didn’t mention any questions about Beale or the current model despite loads of questions being asked on twitter.

Make of that what you will…

Defoe also said Cattermole was the most underrated Sunderland player. Agree with him there like as Catts doesn’t get the respect he deserves. He was a general on and off the pitch for us.
 
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xmfd said:
Might have been Speakman as well, he said he couldn’t talk about it.

Also notice they didn’t mention any questions about Beale or the current model despite loads of questions being asked on twitter.

Make of that what you will…

Defoe also said Cattermole was the most underrated Sunderland player. Agree with him there like as Catts doesn’t get the respect he deserves. He was a general on and off the pitch for us.
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@The Hesk ?
 
Kenna said:
The denying young players a chance thing still is bollocks to me, we had one young striker/winger, Kimpiyoka who we sold a week or so after Defoe retired.
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Maybe he meant Broadhead who came of the bench to score the winner the game after Defoe retired.
Personally i didnt buy much of his explanation. I just think his legs packed in and he couldnt get into the spaces he'd been all his career
 

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