Dear ALS
Gentlemen. Can everybody just take a deep breath, calm down and put a little perspective on the current situation. Let's think back to a year ago; a shambolic performance against the Mags left us with 36pts and only three games to play. Obviously it's a more precarious situation this time but we have a great record against the current bottom five teams, just as we did last season. Pld 8 W 5 D 3 L 0. That's because we are better than them.
Those calling for Ricky's head are doing so on the basis of six poor games. Yes, that's right six games. After Fulham (h), Mags (a), Stoke (h) and Arsenal (a) everyone was happy. Since then three home games and three away in two months has everyone pushing the panic button. Let those up the road do that, they're used to it.
Don't get me wrong I'm as nervous as anyone but, and this seems to be the difference, I believe we will beat Hull and take at least a point off WBA. Spurs are on fire at the minute, their only blips being a shocking sending off when in complete control against Blackburn and against us when, if the players had listened to Ricky, we should've seen the game out. The Mags are in serious trouble on Sunday, enjoy.
Phil Brown was on TalkSport this morning and all he seemed concerned with was containing us so the SOL fans get on the player’s backs. I particularly hate booing at half-time, if things haven't gone according to plan. Remember, good things come to those who wait.
Oh, one more thing. Don't sign off with "Keep the Faith" when the letter you've written shows that you have none.
Keep The Faith
Simon Sinclair
Dear ALS
I’d like to say I agree with the majority of letters on here. Our so called manager has managed to turn confidence into fear, after the Hull game I thought our club could actually push on this season and maybe not Europe but top ten or maybe even safe with five games to go instead of two.
However saying that I really cannot see how it is possible for us to stop up now. A few weeks ago I looked at the Skunk’s run in, and it looked brilliant, a few weeks later ours looks the harder and we struggle to see where the goals are going to come from never mind the results.
I have to say when Ricky was given the job I really wasn’t happy about it, but I was willing to give the fella a chance, like a lot of us were, but he has completely thrown away the fans trust in him, last week (West Ham) was the final straw for me. To have a manager that puts us 3-0 down on the Monday before match day is surely something telling SAFC, move him on. Or is it? Only way we can help is to get behind the lads and hope they take notice.
Fucking come on Sunlan...
David Hewitt
Dear ALS
Big Nic's got it spot on. I've been telling anyone who wants to listen for days that we must act - NOW! The buck stops with Quinny.
The Big Fella has got to wrench Sbragia out of the hot seat before he can do any more damage. Quinny has got to take charge along with fellow SAFC legend Kevin Ball until the end of the season. Or even more radically fly Peter Reid back from Thailand for the next seven matches as Chelsea rushed in Hiddinck from Russia.
Drastic plights and outright crises require desperate measures and solutions. And this is a 999 emergency. Sbragia will take us down.
I've seen more fight, passion and guts in a bloody rice pudding. We need Winston Churchill and who do we get, Neville Chamberlain.
Ricky's spouted more defeatist drivel and bellyaching bollocks over the last few weeks than most of us do in a lifetime. If Sbragia had been in No 10 in June 1940 we'd all now be marching under the Nazi jackboot.
The hapless Scotsman is Mr Softy after Roy Keane's Big Bad Bully Boy act and he's leading his gutless troops straight back to the Championship. The players are taking the bloody Mick and this after demanding Spag Bol get the job when Keano walked...
Quinny has got to get a grip, grab the club by the scruff of the neck and boot out Sbragia. He's got to take control now and draft in red n white diehard Bally - who'll bring passion, respect and authority - to help him fire up our shell-shocked, demoralised mob.
Failing that Reidy would do a better job than Sbragia and I never thought I'd hear myself saying that... The fans are screaming to see us rip into teams like Porto tore into Utd on Wednesday night. We've got to play 4-4-2, Jones and Cisse or Healy must spearhead up front, never mind this yellow-bellied, white-flagged 4-5-1 with one shot on goal in 90 minutes.
It's pathetic, it's rubbish, it doesn't work and it's surrendering all three points to the opposition before we even start. Persist with this kamikaze, suicidal nonsense and we're down because we won't beat Hull and the Baggies, never mind Utd or Everton.
Act now Quinny or we're down for the fourth time in 12 years after splashing out £85m in two years. This would be the bitterest relegation of all after we had so much hope at the start of a season that promised so much and has cruelly delivered just more pain and depression. And even worse - if we do plunge through the dreaded trapdoor we'll almost certainly keep the Skunks and Shearer up... it's too horrific to think about.
Keep the Faith
Red Williams
Market Harborough
Dear ALS
I hope many agree with this when I say we need action to be taken and quick. In my view we need to change management now! We have seven games to save ourselves and by the look of it that is not going to happen. As SAFC fans we can smell it, we know it’s coming. The lads are not playing for Ricky one bit, they have went from a dictatorship in Keane to cotton wool land in Sbragia. He has no experience of this situation and this is reflected in the team’s performances.
Look at the Wigan game. A coach goes up to Ricky and tells him the lads don’t look up for this today. A perfect time to prove his worth and kick them royally up the arses to go out and get a result. What did we see? Probably one of the worst games I have seen since many a 0-0 with Coventry in the past.
West Ham. Full of kids. No front line. Waiting to get beat. What do we do, put Jones on the bench playing 4-5-1 and stick Murphy on the left with Reid on the bench. A display with no fight or guts never mind craft. Total shite!
The players are not playing for the manager or the club and we need something to change and quick. You can almost see the headlines and you know who we are going to save. To prevent this Quinn and Short have to act now and change it. There are people out there who could turn it around or at least get the boys fighting again. If this doesn’t happen I believe we are doomed.
A very worried Big Nic
S/Shields
Dear ALS
I went to the away game at Stoke in October, and the thing that I noticed most (apart from Danny Higgingbotham suddenly looking like he could pass the ball and defend) was the noise at the ground from the Stoke crowd - it's was deafening at times and no doubt gave the players a massive lift.
People who go on about the great atmosphere at the SOL obviously haven't been recently - it's like going to the f-ing library at times - except the avid readers at the library don't tend to bollock the librarian if she/he drops a book or two. I know we're playing like a 'bag of' but, I'm sure if we all sung our hearts out for the lads we would get some kind of reaction. Let's face it, the inspiration isn't coming from the pitch to the crowd at the moment, so let's try it the other way round.
...and please Spag Bol, stop playing players out of position, forget Murphy play Reid and send them out on the front foot to give the opposition a good going over.
Come on lads, we can still do it.
J. Kitto
Stourbridge
Dear ALS
Having just read two letters from so called happy clappers try and instigate in some way it is up to the fans to inspire the team, I have reached the end of counting to ten and I am still fucking fuming. Year after year the club, players and management let us down and whenever we find ourselves in a mess, it all boils down to the fans’ fault. Bollocks.
The only way the fans can help is by picking 11 players from Pennywell/Fulwell/Marley Pots/ Grangetown etc to pull on the red and white cloth and show what true hunger, spirit, pride and desire to succeed is. Until we stop wrapping these prima donnas in cotton wool the better.
There is only so much the fans can take, year after year of shocking displays. I do agree that negativity in the form of booing players on the pitch is counter productive, however the verbal kick up the arse isn’t and I expect it to be in full force on Saturday. But we must ask ourselves the question… how on earth can the fans find the resolve to motivate the team, when the idiot in charge has us defeated on the Monday before the match?
It works both ways I’m afraid, but to tarnish members of the Red and White army as ‘fans’ is treading on very thin ice indeed.
Yours totally gob smacked
Malcolm Robinson.
P.S. For god’s sake Sbragia get your arse and the players’ arses in gear and switched on for a battle, you look like a big blabbering baby kicking his toys out of the cot, be a leader or let someone else take over.
Dear ALS
Reading some of the letters from Sunderland "fans" I can't believe the negativity. Firstly we have three definitely winnable games, which means the Mags have to win four. We've been playing badly but I'm not that worried and the likes of Hull, Blackburn and Stoke aren't out of it so let's have a bit of optimism lads-we can do it!
M Rich
Dear ALS
What seems to depress me most about the relegation news is the lack of positivity and relativity amongst fans or at least those you have published and God forbid if these are the only letters you get, then we are doomed.
The fans of Sunderland are the most loyal away fans I have seen but usually quite realistic, they know Sunderland players are a mix of un-inspired journeymen who would do well in the Championship and a few Premiership class players who seem happy to play Championship level football and although occasionally they play well, they mostly run around a bit and play a few balls to the forwards who when lucky score or hit the target.
At home this lack of metal in their game this lack of professionalism, is broken quite easily by the fans, (me included) who then blare at them because they are not playing like we know they should, could and would, if only they knew how important the club is to us, the supporters. Leadbitter knows this, Rowell, Quinny, and the great ordinary Ball, knew it as did of course Arca and Philips and let us not forget the old lads like Shack and all his marvellous predecessors.
We aren’t that good; we are better than last year but deserve to be where we are and will probably scrape through and be only slightly better next year. The best Sunderland could do in the next few years is copy Everton, or even Villa. We will ride a few good runs and fall out with a few bad runs, we will never be able to compete with the big four unless Sbragia develops into a great manager like Moyes and he may do. Remember how many times Everton were close to relegation, or and how unpopular Ferguson was at Manchester but also remember we turned down Clough and Shankly and I believe we missed Bobby Charlton.
This is us, this is Sunderland. Inspiration comes from three places only in football, inside the players, the managers and leaders of the club, and from the community of supporters. If we think relegation we are relegated, if we think and plan for survival we survive; if we think and plan for honours we win them.
Supporters can only do one thing to prevent Sunderland going down - inspire them to win. Shout your support and then at least if they go down (and they won’t) it can only be said that at least we kept the faith.
Richard Boyle
West Sussex
Dear ALS
I'm a sixty seven year old supporter, lived in Luton all my life, and seen just about everything where the Sunderland are concerned; saw us lift the cup in 1973, seen so many relegation and promotions that I've lost count; on Sunday, I went to Wembley and watched my home team show commitment, one hundred per cent commitment. If only these guys wearing the red and white showed an ounce of this quality, then we might survive, but, like many others, I think it's back to the Championship yet again.
RS should show the repay of the Johnstone's Paint (what a title) Final to the squad, they would see how to win with balls and fire in their bellies; this from a club that is about to leave the football league.
Ed Morris
Luton
Dear ALS
Yes as much as I hate to say it, we are going down this season. Never could I imagine (after the Hull away win) what negativity a manager could generate amongst supporters of our club. If the players feel the same then it is no surprise we are in the position we currently find ourselves in. Can anyone honestly admit that this man would inspire them to produce their best performances week in week out, oh, and as far as his coaching is concerned, what exactly do the players learn, as from what I can see, they can't retain possession of the ball when under pressure, can't pass for toffee and seemingly couldn't trap a bag of sand (apologies Deano that's the pitch isn't it?).
Unfortunately there are a number of problems on the pitch, most notably, the lack of leadership from Whitehead and the desperate lack of creativity from our Championship standard midfield (I'm convinced that if we had Torres and Drogba up front we still wouldn't score goals) which I believe leads to the apparent lack of effort from Cisse and Jones, neither of whom are typical "backs to goal" forwards but are expected to work wonders playing in such a fashion.
I hear people saying that we will beat Hull and beat West Brom, however, if RS continues to set us up not to lose (which isn't exactly working is it?) I can't see us winning any match at present.
Yours disgruntled
David McGee
Dear ALS
It’s not looking good. The feel good factor we witnessed during the promotion season and survival last term is rapidly depleting. Even during the early part of the season there was a buzz around the place with the likes of Cisse, Ferdinand and Malbranque signing. All of whom are quality, experienced, top flight players which we’d been craving since the days of Schwarz and Bould.
So where did it go it all wrong? For me Keane did the right thing leaving when he did. It was become increasingly apparent that he was not enjoying the job and the players weren’t rising to his management style. Much as I love and respect Quinny, it’s hard to argue that the appointment of Sbragia was the right choice. Despite a good start, his constant defeatist attitude and dour demeanour have meant he’s not been able to lift us away from the dreaded relegation zone.
Ricky has said recently that we need a “Bally type player” to inspire us, he’s right. There’s a lack of leadership on and off the pitch. We need to bring in someone with a bit of experience to motivate the players and inspire confidence and it needs to be done before the must win games with Hull and West Brom.
Colin Robinson
Dear ALS
Aye it was right bad day on Saturday and I've got that nervous, gnawing feeling in my guts that won't go away unless we win at least two more games whilst others continue to lose. It's hard to believe after the position we were in just a few weeks ago.
After the two big wins when Ricky started, my mate and I had a text conversation that went, "I hope he isn't another Malcolm Crosby!" to which I replied "Promotion from within rarely works. Look at Mick Buxton, Terry Butcher loads of others at different clubs. Fingers crossed."
Prior to kick off on Saturday I was watching the boys warming up and checking who was wearing a bib. I explained to my 9 year old son that we were playing 4-5-1 but hopefully Murphy would be pushed up with Cisse to make it 4-4-2. Ben Haim would be centre half and Collins left back. At kick off I was disappointed to see Ben Haim playing at left back with Murphy ahead of him in a 4-5-1 but pleased that Cisse was up top rather than Big Kenny and Gordon back in goal.
The left side didn't look right and simply didn't work. If it was obvious to me from kick off, I cannot understand how a good coach like Ricky could get it so wrong. Ben Haim had to come inside every time he got the ball and he got it a lot! He couldn't give Murphy an overlapping option so Murphy always had to go square or backwards hence we moved the ball slowly and West Ham defended well enough to restrict us to shots from distance.
Having said that, most players were at least competent except Murphy who unfortunately isn't cut out for Premiership midfield work, not enough pace, doesn't beat a man, can't tackle and at least once in the first half allowed Boa Morte to just drift behind him and into the box creating a half chance for West Ham whilst he marked space 30 yards out. With Reid on the bench, Murphy’s inclusion mystifies me and I'm not one to vilify players as long as they give their all.
No-one really looked like scoring but one slick West Ham move with great credit to Boa Morte for keeping his head at the end effectively ended the game. Leadbitter's only real error in the game saw him dive into a tackle when he should have stayed up and shadowed Boa Morte and it cost us the goal. Anton's only error saw Tomkins out jump him to score the second and that was indeed that!
The run-in worries me. Some peculiar gesticulating after full time by Kieran Richardson also worries me, what did the throat-cutting gesture mean? Did anyone else see it?
Ricky probably has to play five across on Saturday against Man Utd but surely has to balance the team and play people in position? Still, lose and we'll be in the bottom three unless Stoke do the business against the Mags. We can't give up hope, but it felt like it was gone at Upton Park, so the boys have got to battle every minute of every game. Bardsley represents all that we need from our players, he was our best attacker and defender in the second half and never gave up.
Like most letters I've read, I too can't figure out what David Healy has to do to get a game. Early season with Cisse and Diouf up top, we looked threatening, kept the ball well and used Cisse's pace well. Diouf would drop into midfield if needed and confidence oozed from the midfield, where did it all go wrong? Healy may allow us to play that system again.
Please God we don't end up finishing above Middlesbrough and Newcastle but going down just like Keano said all those months ago!
Gordon Picker
Essex
Dear ALS
Is it little wonder we are in the shite yet again when Mr Careful, the Wig, states before a game we need to get something out of this match! Something is not good enough we need to win games. The heart of any team is the midfield yet for Premiership matches we field players like Leadbitter, Murphy and Whitehead who are at best decent Championship squad members. Then at West Ham we brought on Edwards leaving Reid on the bench.
I have renewed my ticket for next year a it looks a bigger bargain as we will get 23 home games unless we pick up our game and quick. Another trait which has re-appeared in our team selections is players picked out of position and the one man up front even for home games. For me the unlucky man is Andy Reid expected to play out on the left wing when it is obvious he is better in the middle playing balls through for Cisse to run onto. The most puzzling aspect of our game is where has the fitness and discipline gone since Keano left? Gone are the days when we would score late in the games and they have been replaced with a side that loses concentration and gives soft goals away at the ends of each halves. Wig needs to pick a settled side and quick! And if Teamu is not going to be fit my choice would be:
Gordon/Fulop (either)
Bardsley McCartney
Collins Ferdinand
Ben Haim
Malbranque Reid Richardson
Cisse Jones
Subs: Gordon/Fulop, Whitehead, Colback, Healey, Waghorn, Davenport. A nd, please God no Noz, McShane or Murphy! All the best, see you somewhere next year!
Terry Harbron
Dear ALS
I went to W Ham yesterday, but waited until today before writing anything as wanted time to reflect. I now believe that we will go down, along with countless other fans that I've spoken to.
The team doesn't have the passion for a fight. Too many players are financially comfortable, and have not been in this position before. Yesterday was like a mid-table end of season affair, not a relegation dogfight. The manager is too cautious and his team selections and play reflect that. Yesterday was a weakened and poor West Ham had a team out that were there for the taking. I said before the game if we play 4-4-2 we'll win, and 4-5-1 and we'll lose as cannot defend for 90 mins. Draws are no longer good enough; we have to go for three points. But RS won't go for it. He may be a nice man, but I want a winner.
Niall showed when he tried to manage that he isn't one, and he's not a good judge of either players or managers. He made a mistake appointing RS and he's now got to really look at it. Nobody will want the job if we are relegated again.
Finally, the fans yesterday were quiet for large parts of the game. It's as if we've all accepted that we're in the shit and the worst is going to happen. I've watched SAFC for 45 years and seen countless relegations. The smell of another one is back again.
Christ, I'm depressed
Martin Parker
Dear ALS
We are now seeing what you get when you appoint someone who has no managerial experience (same scenario at the Scum, I hope) as our tactics continue to be negative, one up front against West Ham who let’s face it are shite.
This is all a reflection of Mr. Negative, sorry Mr Sbragia, who comes out with the most defeatist quotes I've ever heard from an SAFC boss. "It's going to be difficult to stay up", what! "We are looking to stay unbeaten." (In other words play one up front and hope to draw every match 0-0). Cisse and Jones haven't worked so why has he not given Healey a chance?
Basically we have to beat Hull and West Brom and hope the scum don't win their easy home games or we are knackered. Sbragia has to be replaced in the summer whichever division we are in.
Regards
M.Frost
Dear ALS
Dire Straits. Well, the Sultans of Swing do not wear red and white stripes, but they seem to get money for nothing.
How the hell have we found ourselves in this precarious position? A few weeks ago I penned a letter which failed to get delivered. The gist was that if you were sat in your local in August 2008 and a time traveller had returned from February 2009 to tell you that SAFC were ahead of the likes of Spurs, the Skunks, the Boro and Pompey in the league would you be happy. Of course you would. He then also gives you the news that Hull are ahead of us. You'd still be pretty happy because freak situations can occur.
So how has this bloody calamity happen in such a short time? This time next week we could be sat in the bottom three, well can any of you see us getting even a point next Saturday against Man United?
We go to Upton Park and play with one forward against a team that has to play with two teenagers making either their debut or have only mustered six games between them. Sbragia must have balls of putty. It took a pundit like Steve Claridge (wow, he's really experienced in management) to state that we were unsure whether we were playing for the point or going for a win.
I've checked the fixtures left and can only conclude we are knackered. Hope I'm wrong but glad I had a tenner on us to go down @ 9/1. Bloody hell man I only put it on because my bets have been pants lately and was sure that would be another failed bet.
One thing I do know for sure, if I produce crap at work the punters wouldn't return. Try telling your players that Ricky, because I'm fed up of reading their quotes of how together they are and are all pulling to get the points to make us safe. Tell it to someone else boys because I don't believe you anymore.
Regards
P.Dunn
Dear ALS
What are we going to do, relegation is staring us in the face, we can't score goals and we can't stop them going in
What has David Healey done? Surely he deserves a chance. I think Quinny needs to take some responsibility for appointing Sbragia, I said it when he was appointed it was the wrong decision, Quinny needs to be big enough and get an experienced manager in now and stop the slide or at least give him some help.
The players should also hang their heads in shame as they were the ones who openly asked for Sbragia to be given the job and they are not worthy of wearing our red and white stripes, they are failing the club an it's loyal supporters.
Let's hope something positive happens this week as Man Utd could be on for a cricket score and all the pressure will be on for the Hull game.
Yours in Hope
Andrew Miller
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