With 3 weeks or so til the start of the season, I’m feeling hugely optimistic about our prospects and the state of play regarding on pitch matters.

Regular readers will be aware of my cautiously pessimistic attitude towards our owners. As the new season approaches ~ SAFCBlog will, after today, focus solely on playing matters; as Sunderland winning games is what we all want to see.

Just as a final comment on the off pitch situation……

It has been widely suggested today that we are going to be financially restrained by Financial Fair Play this season, especially recruitment and wages. This does not stack up, (in my uneducated opinion)., we could probably have a nett increase in wages of circa £3 million and still be well within the parameters of FFP. The area of concern for me, would be monies that have possibly left the club over the last year, all hearsay and hypothetical, but I’m sure that Charlie Methven will reveal all to fans, so called fans, those who didn’t go to Wembley and parasites who watch on TV come what 31st July?

As aforementioned ~ the focus moving forward will be on playing matters, and no further comment, (daren’t say opinion), will be offered on our owners.

Genuinely think we are well placed to smash the league? McGeady staying is massive! Wise move from him too, he’s at the twilight of his career and will probably have an eye on his post playing career, (coaching etc), and what better place to be? I’m sure he could have gone to China, Greece or Hull ~ but sometimes the bigger picture outweighs the short term? Do you say yes if Danni asks to marry you? …..or do you throw the opportunity away for a fling with Kylie?

He obviously has a decent relationship with the manager, no doubt boosted by the sensible way his injury was managed towards the end of the season? Moyes would have had him trying to run it off? He also was quick to call Coleman out as the clown that he was.

When Aiden plays he just offers that little bit more quality than the others. It reminds me of AJ, who although at times lazy, offered the same little bit of extra quality prior to his free transfer to Durham HMP.

Possibly banging the same drum a bit too much, but I’m 100% behind Jack Ross. I appreciate we ultimately failed last year ~ but let’s remember that the club has been a shitstorm for 6 or 7 years off the pitch…. whilst a manager shouldn’t carry the can for, drink drivers, pissed up interviews, refusing to play, transfer requests, player power, …… I see it as no coincidence that we are together as a unit and no silliness is going on off the pitch. Game of opinions, but after the last Charlton heartbreak, many players have since said in interviews, “it was perhaps a blessing not going up, and we just knew we’d smash the league the season after”

Oxford up first, (match review in a few weeks obviously), SAFCBlog predicts a 2 – 0 win….

The most high profile departure of the summer has been Lee Cattermole ~ opinions often split on Lee, I loved him, whenever he played we normally looked better. Most of all, he actually cared; I really believe that. Part of me wonders, after 9 years of playing in mostly struggling sides, how Lee will feel if we do indeed smash the league next year?

Never look back…..

FTM

IN JACK WE TRUST