If Sunderland Football Club could be attributed to a roll of a Monopoly dice, they would hit Go, collect £200 and land on ‘Super Tax’ straight off the bat. They always seem to be the club that takes one step forward, and ten steps back. Another season has begun, one that perhaps a blissful few may have thought would carry more than the inevitable crash and burn regime of recent years, but alas, Sunderland AFC are in September and already staring deep into the mire of another nail biting, ageing and ultimately soul destroying season.
Is this new for Sunderland supporters? No. For a team that has twice set the record for the lowest points amassed over a 38 game season in the Premier League, expectation is rarely raised above a 17th place finish and of course, 6 points against rivals Newcastle. There is a rinse and repeat cycle associated with the club, one of poor signings in the preseason, notably cast-offs from other PL teams or a few no-hopers from the Championship (see Younes Kaboul, Liam Bridcutt or well, anyone Di Canio brought in), followed by a woeful start to they season, and a new man at the helm in March.
The interesting thing with Sunderland is that the start of every new season never matches the hype, passion and drama of the climax to the previous. That being, of course, the inevitable survival by the skin of their teeth after sacking X and replacing him with Y. For Keane, see Sbragia. O’Neill, see Di Canio. For Di Canio, Poyet and Poyet, see the current holder of the poisoned chalice, Mr Dick Advocaat. It is with great admiration that Sunderland fans convinced the “General” to remain in charge at the Stadium of Light, and with even greater courage or perhaps lunacy that he accepted the offer of a new deal. However, the foundations certainly seemed in place for positive change at Sunderland this season, after all surely it couldn’t all fall apart again?
Nevertheless, 25 minutes into the opening game at Leicester and Sunderland had both hands firmly on the self-destruct button and weren’t letting go. Aside from a worryingly difficult showing against Exeter in the League Cup, Sunderland have played 7 games in the league, conceding 15 and winning none, sitting bottom on 2 points. The play has been lethargic and devoid of inspiration, and with reports of discontent between captain Lee Cattermole and management combined with the fact that Steven Fletcher still gets a game upfront for the Mackems, this season looks perhaps bleaker than most. Not even the return of the heralded ‘Geordie Slayer’ Fabio Borini could lift performances this last month.
For me, I see this as the year football gives up on Sunderland, although I hope to see them another chapter to their own bible full of miraculous escapes, I have seen nothing that shows any chance of redemption, fight or spirit and more alarming is that I think they have the best man for the job sat right in the dugout. Advocaat has said he will walk if they need him to, but who could come in? Nigel Pearson perhaps, but with his fuse, there could be another Di Canio type situation on the cards.
For Sunderland fans, they’ll continue to ferociously back their team, and like a forlorn girlfriend in a clichéd movie, believe their club can be ‘changed’, that this time it will be different. But there have been too many missed opportunities for fresh starts, too many missed chances at a new era. Sunderland should be where Palace, West Ham and Swansea reside, having a stab at breaking into that top 8. As it is, all indications point to Tuesday night matches with Barnsley, Doncaster and Preston and I’m sorry to say it’s been coming for a long time.
