Renz

Looking forward to watching the match vs Bolton tomorrow. It'll be nice to be able to just enjoy the match and not have to stress about relegation.

It'll be good to see Jonny Evans back in the squad as well. Keeping my fingers crossed that Sunderland can sign him permanently.

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Renz

Disappointing performance today, to say the least. The only bright spot today was the Derby game...

The Rams' latest loss leaves them stranded on 11 points with just one game to go, and means they cannot now overhaul Sunderland's previous record low total of 15 points from two years ago.

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Mulli

Nice. Congrats to Fulham, bunch of jerks.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...531629&cc=5901

Renz

They aren't safe yet. I hope they are relegated, personally.

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Mulli

Join

Stout

That's counterproductive for U.S. soccer, though. I care less one way or another about the team's fortunes, but I want them to stay up to help some American players develop.

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The Arizona Cardinals...hitch a ride on the bandwagon while there's still room!!!

and

Break the circle of suck, Bidwill, or feel my wrath--Stout, 26 Feb 2006.*

*--Note: this part of Stout's signature line is on hold. It has not yet been deleted, but once the Cardinal's make the playoffs, it shall be removed. Thank you, and I now return you to your regularly sheduled thread.

English on tour

i thought you all liked them!?

no bothered if the stay or go to be honest. They are little clud with little history so not going to missed much by the prem lge if they do go down.

I dont care much at all for Birmingham and Reading are much like Fulham.

What about Stoke City going up - could be a Derby in the making for next year? lets hope so

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Arizona Cardinals - Sunderland AFC - Beer (The Holy Trinity)

Renz

Eh, I don't really care all that much about Fulham. I'd rather see them relegated instead of Reading though.

Congratulations to the Potters! I agree that they will have almost no chance of staying up.

I hope the Black Cats give a good account of themselves this weekend. It says a lot for the Sunderland fans that they have the 5th highest attendance in the Prem.

http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=14799

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Stout

What about hoping Fulham stays up for American player development?

__________________
The Arizona Cardinals...hitch a ride on the bandwagon while there's still room!!!

and

Break the circle of suck, Bidwill, or feel my wrath--Stout, 26 Feb 2006.*

*--Note: this part of Stout's signature line is on hold. It has not yet been deleted, but once the Cardinal's make the playoffs, it shall be removed. Thank you, and I now return you to your regularly sheduled thread.

swd1974

All I can say is West Ham is top 10 baby! Not bad after a year just escaping relegation prior.

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Goal for 2008: Half as many penalties.

English on tour

West ham have so much money invested in such a big squad of avg/decent players they may need to shift a few of them and buy some real class if they want to push up again. Dont get me wrong the big squad has meant they finished top half but even with there 'starters' fit i wouldnt have seen them being much higher.

Its a tough call as money isnt in endless supply. but less depth and more top end quality is needed.

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Arizona Cardinals - Sunderland AFC - Beer (The Holy Trinity)

Stout

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...532975&cc=5901

Quartet start Sunderland cull by leaving Wearside

Sunderland boss Roy Keane has started his summer cull by telling a quartet of experienced players they will not be offered new deals.


Andy Cole, Ian Harte, Stephen Wright and Stan Varga, who are all out of contract this summer, have been told their stays on Wearside will not be extended.

The news comes as no great surprise with Keane having indicated in the wake of last weekend's tame 2-0 defeat at Bolton that he would clear the decks within days before starting his summer spending.

Cole and Varga were back on Wearside this morning after their respective loan spells at Burnley came to an end, and like Wright and Harte, their departures have seemed inevitable for some time.

Keane said: 'I have sat down with Andy, Ian, Stephen and Stan and they won't be getting new contracts.'

__________________
The Arizona Cardinals...hitch a ride on the bandwagon while there's still room!!!

and

Break the circle of suck, Bidwill, or feel my wrath--Stout, 26 Feb 2006.*

*--Note: this part of Stout's signature line is on hold. It has not yet been deleted, but once the Cardinal's make the playoffs, it shall be removed. Thank you, and I now return you to your regularly sheduled thread.

English on tour

just back from the game - not all bad but 3 or 4 of them wont be back next season.

looks like Murphy and Richardson are the players Keano was pissed at last week though as they were not even on the bench.

lets get some class in over the next few months.....let the new signings (made up are not) stories start now!

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Arizona Cardinals - Sunderland AFC - Beer (The Holy Trinity)

Stout

The huge problem you'll have, and my Magpies have on a far lesser scale, is that money isn't enough. The top players, and increasingly the second-tier players, simply don't want to go to Sunderland, and it's hard to even lure them to Newcastle. It really helps the best get better, which is sad, but there isn't much to do about it.

__________________
The Arizona Cardinals...hitch a ride on the bandwagon while there's still room!!!

and

Break the circle of suck, Bidwill, or feel my wrath--Stout, 26 Feb 2006.*

*--Note: this part of Stout's signature line is on hold. It has not yet been deleted, but once the Cardinal's make the playoffs, it shall be removed. Thank you, and I now return you to your regularly sheduled thread.

English on tour

money makes a massive difference and always will.

The problem we both have is that we dont have enough of it. We spent £45 million to just stay up this year. £45 million 10 years ago wins you the league (Blackburn). £200 million might do it now (Torres £27 mil).

you offer the wedge and and pay the wages you can get who you want make no mistake about it. Chelsea were and also ran not long ago and dont forget it.

I know what you mean about the top getting stronger though, they offer champions lge football, pay top dollar and you want to play for a team that is winning right then.

What the smaller teams can have to do is be the best of the rest get eufa football and then step up.....but its a big gap to bridge and if you are going for the best you need a some luck and more money that you should have to to get then (althought promise of first team football does help to counter balance this to some degree).

The location of the City also helps but to be fair that arguement falls down when you look at Manchester and Liverpool, nothing the north east has or does not have. Some players given the choice will stay in London (jonny f) but then again you can do it with the more money. Does owen play for Newcastle if they didnt offer way more than every other club - NO. but does he play for them - yes.

Sunderland problems go beyond this in that we have a solid/fixed pay structure at the moment and that needs to be broken to allow us to compete (Keano has said that he has no problem doing this but we will wait and see what the board say). Newcastle have always paid way over the odds for players and wages and have been stung more often than not in the last 10 years. Not saying thats a bad thing but it means you have the highest debt out there and dont own your own ground etc..... as long as you never go down you should be ok.

Sunderland of course have debt but can (as we have had to i'm sad to say quite a few times recently). What we both have is passion and the support to keep a player happy.

Money will do it, as Keegan/Keane/Harry Red/Sven/o'neill have said in the last week and the rest of the managers seem to have backed up.

This year we need to look to Everton to bridge the gap - do they have the money, i doubt it but they were 4th the year before last i they are knocking on the door at least.

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Arizona Cardinals - Sunderland AFC - Beer (The Holy Trinity)