Iceman’s floe of information is pure football class

readytogoCredit to the popular Sunderland fans’ site Ready To Go and one of its Pure Football forum contributors, Iceman, for providing the discussion of the day for Sunderland fans.

Iceman was present at an illuminating social evening in the Sports Bar at the Stadium of Light and duly reported, with one bite-sized chunk after the other, the warm, witty or wise words uttered by Niall Quinn, Steve Bruce and some of the players in attandance – Craig Gordon, John Mensah, Kenwyne Jones, Michael Turner, Anton Ferdinand, Darren Bent and Lorik Cana.

It would be a great idea for someone to collate everything Iceman posted, since the informal nature of the function means this would give a fascinating insight into how things are looking at the club. Salut! Sunderland may not be the place though both Iceman and RTG have kindly consented to the summary that follows.

So for now, we will present Sunderland supporters with some edited highlights of Iceman’s earlier posts. You can also visit Pure Football to see the thread – with around 200 posts by this afternoon – in its entirety, by going to this link.

And now the Iceman cometh: …
ONE:

Where do I start……………..
Quote of the night from lad from Peterlee…..
Asked “it’s my lifetime ambition to throw a chair and get wet of a massive water cannon whilst following Sunderland on European soil, how long will I have to wait?” …. Quinny and Bruce p***ing themselves.
Crack regarding Ellis Short. He was talking to Liverpool but the cost associated was huge, they wanted all sorts of money 150m for this 150m for that etc etc and he would have only owned about 1/3 of the club.
Quinny met him at Ryder Cup and when he knew he was interested in football club he got in contact and went to London to meet him, Keane played huge part selling the club and the ambition and the rest is history.


TWO

Bruce: wanted to go through the spine of the side and likes to now think we are pretty solid with Mensah, Turner, Cattermole, Cana etc.
The obvious next step is the flanks which he has been looking at.
Got one player lined up who was from the same scout as Figurora, Palacious and Rodlega.
Crouch was within spitting distance of signing until redknapp came in as was Richard Dunne (deciding factor was he didnt have to move house) also Adam Johnson was expected to sign but City came in with kings ransom so that one was over.
Team now in massive postion and will be much easier to attract players as when (we have) got players such as Cana, Cattermole, Bent etc word gets around other international players who then want to sign …

THREE

Bruce…. absolutely loves Bent, said he was a breath of fresh air and was desperate to come to us, said he was hoping in the next few year that we can have a squad of the quality of him

If he was Englands manager he would take 5 forwards and Bent would be one as you need forwards who can snatch a goal and other than Rooney and Defoe are any of the others mentioned capable of that.


FOUR

Quinny … Spoke about the big 4 and hoped it would change this season.

Other than Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, the other so called big 4 are Villa, Everton, Spurs and Man City and was hoping it could become the big 9 with us breaking in.

Can’t guarentee anything but will do upmost in helping club progress, said it was the best chance the club has had for 60 years.

Bruce said rather than looking to bring in 6 or 7 like last year he would now look to bring in 2 or 3 top class signings on a yearly basis

FIVE

Quinny .. said Short is hugely passionate and celebrates when we win and is gutted when we don’t.

The 70 million plus he put into club cant be taken back, its been done like a “sponsorship” sort of deal so the club has that money, the club is on a hugely strong foundation

SIX

Bruce said….. he has realised over the bad period that you need to be a certain kind of player who play here…. no disrespect to other clubs like Wigan, Blackburn, Brum etc but when you got 40k + who are as passionate as we are you need to have a certain character.

Its not just the fact that you will run through brick walls and tackle and want to win but its all about ability and been able to handle a ball.

Said he was looking forward to the derbys if Newcastle come up.


SEVEN

THE PLAYERS: spoke to the majority of them, Bent loves the club and wants to become a Sunderland legend. Really settled up here and loving his football again, feels confident to score whenever he enters field.

Turner was really good crack and saying how positive he was about the future. Loving been at the club and loves playing with Mensah.

That’s enough for now. Go to Pure Football and you’ll see what I mean about the rest.

And just to mention that others who were at the social also contributed their recollections, none better than “Bob Stokoe’s Hat”:

Cana had the women dribbling all over the sports bar as well!

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