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Most users ever online was 328 on Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:57 am
Could the clock be ticking
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Could the clock be ticking
cyprussyd on Thu Apr 27, 2017 5:02 pm
Sunderland want to stand by David Moyes but the mood on the terraces has turned against him
BYSTUART RAYNER
Sunderland really want to keep David Moyes as manager.
They brought the Scot in to end the cycle which was seeing them sack a manager every season, muddle through to the end of it and start again. It was not working. The squad was clogging up with players bought by one manager to do a certain job, only for another to come in.
Owner Ellis Short, advised by chief executive Martin Bain, decided that had to change. He had long wanted Moyes as his manager and come hell or high water, he was going to stick with him.
Long-term thinking is needed to replace the make-do-and-mend, and for that a manager needs to stay in position long enough to make his mark.
It explains why Moyes still has a job now. Whether you agree with the strategy or not, you have to say that the Short of seasons gone by would have pulled the trigger on Moyes long before they reached the situation where they could potentially be relegated from the Premier League shortly before 5pm on Saturday.
The increasingly rare sight of Short at the Stadium of Light for March’s game against Burnley set alarm bells ringing. BBC journalist Vicki Sparks was not the only one curious as to its significance, and we all know how that ended.
But it was not just Moyes who was eager to shut that discussion down quickly. Very soon after the 0-0 draw was over, Sunderland got the message out that Moyes was safe.
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Sunderland manager David Moyes appears dejected during the Premier League match at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough(Photo: PA)
Four dismal defeats and an encouraging but ultimately not good enough draw later, the stance has not changed. But those on the terraces are making it harder for the Texan to stick to his guns.
Whether it was apathy, an appreciation of the difficulties Moyes had inherited, or being resigned to the fact that Short was not for turning, there had been remarkably little anti-Moyes sentiment from the terraces considering how poor his team have been this season. That is not that same as saying that people were happy or even not unhappy with Moyes.
But in the last couple of games that has changed, and one gets the impression the atmosphere at Saturday’s home game with Bournemouth could be toxic irrespective of whether the club’s fate is officially decided then or not.
The home game with West Ham United was the first time there had been noticeable, concerted dissent against the manager.
“Moyes out!” chants were aired, and he was booed when he came to the touchline and when he returned to the dugout. That Wahbi Khazri , a player Moyes had ostracised, scored the Black Cats’ opener was used as a stick to beat him. Sunderland fans were quick to ask, “Are you watching David Moyes?” Things are starting to get personal.
Thanks to the nature of the fightback, the anti-Moyes feeling was quickly becalmed. There were pockets of dissent after the initial outpouring, but no more.
The genie, though, was out of the bottle.
At Middlesbrough on Wednesday, things cranked up another level.
Moyes was already having a bad day after being charged for threatening to slap Sparks, and the game did nothing to cheer him up.
His side went behind after another piece of inept defending nine minutes in, and by the time the game was a quarter of the way through a Boro side who had not won in the league since December were looking confident and in control. As soon as Marten de Roon found the net, plenty in the away section would have written off their side’s chances of victory.
It was under those conditions that the “We want Moyes out!” chants bubbled back to the surface. Again Sunderland’s players did their best to divert attention, actually getting a foothold in the game, albeit not seriously threatening the goal which might change it.
The second half was a different story. Sick of what they saw on the pitch, the away supporters began venting their anger, and there were plenty of opportunities.
Moyes was in their sights, the Boro hardcore to their left were, they took aim at Short and the players.
Darron Gibson was booed off after another ineffective display. The Irishman is very definitely a “Moyes signing” having been bought by him twice now.
The boos when Khazri made way for Adnan Januzaj were less voluble, but still notable. If Gibson is seen in the Moyes camp, Khazri is the poster boy for the rebels.
When Mike Dean put them out of their misery, the fans turned on the players – “not fit to wear the shirt,” they said and they are more entitled than anyone to make that call. Moyes defending them afterwards, saying the criticism was unwarranted will only have added fuel to the fire. When the players came across to thank those who had paid hard-earned cash to support them, they were booed away, as they had been at Watford.
It was clear, though, who was public enemy No.1 and by then, the supporters had even come up with a positive solution, chanting the name of Roy Keane, who was in the stands in his capacity as the Republic of Ireland’s assistant manager.
Black Cats manager David Moyes was brought in to see the season out come what may but his presence is creating a toxic atmosphere on Wearside
BYSTUART RAYNER
- 15:40, 27 APR 2017
Sunderland really want to keep David Moyes as manager.
They brought the Scot in to end the cycle which was seeing them sack a manager every season, muddle through to the end of it and start again. It was not working. The squad was clogging up with players bought by one manager to do a certain job, only for another to come in.
Owner Ellis Short, advised by chief executive Martin Bain, decided that had to change. He had long wanted Moyes as his manager and come hell or high water, he was going to stick with him.
Long-term thinking is needed to replace the make-do-and-mend, and for that a manager needs to stay in position long enough to make his mark.
It explains why Moyes still has a job now. Whether you agree with the strategy or not, you have to say that the Short of seasons gone by would have pulled the trigger on Moyes long before they reached the situation where they could potentially be relegated from the Premier League shortly before 5pm on Saturday.
The increasingly rare sight of Short at the Stadium of Light for March’s game against Burnley set alarm bells ringing. BBC journalist Vicki Sparks was not the only one curious as to its significance, and we all know how that ended.
But it was not just Moyes who was eager to shut that discussion down quickly. Very soon after the 0-0 draw was over, Sunderland got the message out that Moyes was safe.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Sunderland manager David Moyes appears dejected during the Premier League match at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough(Photo: PA)
Four dismal defeats and an encouraging but ultimately not good enough draw later, the stance has not changed. But those on the terraces are making it harder for the Texan to stick to his guns.
Whether it was apathy, an appreciation of the difficulties Moyes had inherited, or being resigned to the fact that Short was not for turning, there had been remarkably little anti-Moyes sentiment from the terraces considering how poor his team have been this season. That is not that same as saying that people were happy or even not unhappy with Moyes.
But in the last couple of games that has changed, and one gets the impression the atmosphere at Saturday’s home game with Bournemouth could be toxic irrespective of whether the club’s fate is officially decided then or not.
The home game with West Ham United was the first time there had been noticeable, concerted dissent against the manager.
“Moyes out!” chants were aired, and he was booed when he came to the touchline and when he returned to the dugout. That Wahbi Khazri , a player Moyes had ostracised, scored the Black Cats’ opener was used as a stick to beat him. Sunderland fans were quick to ask, “Are you watching David Moyes?” Things are starting to get personal.
Thanks to the nature of the fightback, the anti-Moyes feeling was quickly becalmed. There were pockets of dissent after the initial outpouring, but no more.
The genie, though, was out of the bottle.
At Middlesbrough on Wednesday, things cranked up another level.
Moyes was already having a bad day after being charged for threatening to slap Sparks, and the game did nothing to cheer him up.
His side went behind after another piece of inept defending nine minutes in, and by the time the game was a quarter of the way through a Boro side who had not won in the league since December were looking confident and in control. As soon as Marten de Roon found the net, plenty in the away section would have written off their side’s chances of victory.
It was under those conditions that the “We want Moyes out!” chants bubbled back to the surface. Again Sunderland’s players did their best to divert attention, actually getting a foothold in the game, albeit not seriously threatening the goal which might change it.
The second half was a different story. Sick of what they saw on the pitch, the away supporters began venting their anger, and there were plenty of opportunities.
Moyes was in their sights, the Boro hardcore to their left were, they took aim at Short and the players.
Darron Gibson was booed off after another ineffective display. The Irishman is very definitely a “Moyes signing” having been bought by him twice now.
The boos when Khazri made way for Adnan Januzaj were less voluble, but still notable. If Gibson is seen in the Moyes camp, Khazri is the poster boy for the rebels.
When Mike Dean put them out of their misery, the fans turned on the players – “not fit to wear the shirt,” they said and they are more entitled than anyone to make that call. Moyes defending them afterwards, saying the criticism was unwarranted will only have added fuel to the fire. When the players came across to thank those who had paid hard-earned cash to support them, they were booed away, as they had been at Watford.
It was clear, though, who was public enemy No.1 and by then, the supporters had even come up with a positive solution, chanting the name of Roy Keane, who was in the stands in his capacity as the Republic of Ireland’s assistant manager.
________________________________________________________
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cyprussyd- Senior Member(Top Cat)
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Age : 69
Location : Durham -
Re: Could the clock be ticking
cyprussyd on Thu Apr 27, 2017 5:04 pm
Could our next two home games see an atmosphere so toxic that only a fresh start, fresh manager and fresh players is the only option Short is left with?
________________________________________________________
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cyprussyd- Senior Member(Top Cat)
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Join date : 2012-07-31
Age : 69
Location : Durham -
Re: Could the clock be ticking
gil t azell on Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:32 pm
Is it all Moysy's fault?
I honestly think the players have to take their shame of the blame.
I honestly think the players have to take their shame of the blame.
gil t azell- Senior Member(Top Cat)
- Posts : 5053
Join date : 2012-08-03
Age : 58
Location : Sunderland
Re: Could the clock be ticking
Lever Malone on Thu Apr 27, 2017 10:26 pm
Most fans when their team is having a tough time have a go at the manager, board, chairman in fact anyone they can to vent their displeasure on. Remember how the Newcastle fans were calling for Ashley to go last season and the Arsenal fans moaning about Wenger earlier this season. Although I'd be quite happy if I was supporting a team which consistently finished in the top 6 of the top division.
However if Moyes does rebuild the team next season and they have a good winning run the boos and chants will soon be silenced and he will be the blue eyed boy.
However if Moyes does rebuild the team next season and they have a good winning run the boos and chants will soon be silenced and he will be the blue eyed boy.
Lever Malone- Senior Member(Top Cat)
- Posts : 801
Join date : 2012-08-08
Re: Could the clock be ticking
cyprussyd on Thu Apr 27, 2017 10:28 pm
Lever Malone wrote:Most fans when their team is having a tough time have a go at the manager, board, chairman in fact anyone they can to vent their displeasure on. Remember how the Newcastle fans were calling for Ashley to go last season and the Arsenal fans moaning about Wenger earlier this season. Although I'd be quite happy if I was supporting a team which consistently finished in the top 6 of the top division.
However if Moyes does rebuild the team next season and they have a good winning run the boos and chants will soon be silenced and he will be the blue eyed boy.
________________________________________________________
My glass is always half full and occasionally over flowing. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
cyprussyd- Senior Member(Top Cat)
- Posts : 44715
Join date : 2012-07-31
Age : 69
Location : Durham -
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