We are now in a position where we thought we might not be in for a while, searching for someone
to come through the Stadium of Light's managerial revolving doors again. Tony Mowbray's dismissal, the 19th permanent appointment in the last 20 years, is going to rankle for a bit especially when he almost achieved back to back promotions last season. Not since Reidy have we had a manager that has lasted 5 or more years. However, there seems to be an issue of what the club is wanting from the manager/head coach? Granted that football is a results business, we all know that, but surely nobody can be perfect all the time.
Listening to Kristjaan Speakman's statement, and the fact he maintains that SAFC will "...remain loyal to our ambition and strategy" makes me wonder if Mowbray had any real impact on matters off the playing field. I believe he didn't. Mowbray probably had no dealings with the signings,
Speakman did that, and was dealt with the hand that the Sporting Director dealt him with. The only thing Mowbray was probably involved in, is being asked what kind of players he wanted position wise and that is all. It's unfortunately what the new incumbent, whoever it will be, will have to also cope with. Mowbray obviously snapped eventually I think and that's why he said what he said post-Millwall and it ruffled Speakman's proverbial feathers so much so that he ran to Kyril saying something on the lines of "I can't work with this man, we need to get rid of him" and that decision was made.
It beggars belief though, does SAFC want sustainability or success? Because you can't have both. Let's look at them.
SUSTAINABILITY
To me, sustainability is all about putting the building blocks in place and each season getting better. What we achieved last season was quite simply, an overachievement. Not many teams that go up, achieve what the Lads did in 22-23, although Ipswich are doing exactly that, if not better... If you had asked me what I wanted from last season before a ball had been kicked in anger, I would have said 21st pure and simple as a bare minimum. I categorically didn't think we had a back to back promotion bid in that squad. But we defied that logic didn't we with some spellbinding performances, home and away. Sustainability I feel is not the Speakman model no matter how well he dresses it up,
Speakman's model is to buy/loan unproven players then maybe sell them onto other clubs at a profit. That's his idea of sustainability. It's not,
it's just buy and sell economics which happens in all businesses. Nothing brand new.
Sustainability for the Lads would be maybe finish 14th or 15th last season, mid-table this season, just outside play-offs next and promotion in 25-26. But that's how I envisaged the plan to go, a new four year plan. The question is what exactly was Kyril and Kristjaan's? Did they consider last season the expectation they wanted? If they did, they're a couple of optimistic buggers aren't they? Then there's the top table like, you only have to look at Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton to see how tough it is for a newly promoted side to compete there.
SUCCESS
Success is the polar opposite of sustainability, it's where you want to get something and something dead quickly too. It's a bit like the Barcodes up the A19 at Sid James with their newly found wealth isn't it? The Lads have been in this position before, spent lots of pennies in the hope it will bring immediate success but then see it explode boom and right in your face. This is not Sunderland whatsoever. To me financial prudence is the better way and success breeds from it. Is this Speakman's model?
Again, it isn't.
Whilst we would like success in the shape of trophies adorning the Stadium of Light trophy cabinet, sometimes success has to be earned not given. Well that's how I have been brought up anyway. Perhaps last season's finish has given those who make the decisions a taste of success and they are like Oliver Twist are saying: "Please sir, can I have some more?" – but rigidly stick to certain principles which the manager/HC has no input in at all.
Time will of course tell us if this decision to sack Mowbray is the right one or not. But we just cannot keep chopping and changing as we see fit just because certain principles are not adhered to. Everyone has to be on the same page from the start and not diverge from it. Once that happens, the road becomes very bumpy indeed and there will be only one winner. Do the reasonable thing SAFC and work things out properly. Please, otherwise too many cooks will definitely spoil the proverbial broth.
