A new era, even if turns out to be a mini-era, dawns. It is fitting that the first Guess the Score with Dick Advocaat in charge of the team should be a rollover, offering two mugs from which to drink your generous servings of what Wikipedia calls “Advocaat or Advocaatenborrel, a traditional Dutch alcoholic beverage made from eggs, sugar and brandy”.
No one, oddly enough, wagered on 0-4 at home to Villa, though young Keir Bradwell got closest with 0-3 and Jeremy Robson plumped for 0-2. So Personalised Football Gifts, our sponsors, will send a pair of mugs to this week’s winner, who also chooses which combination of the two shown (the Salut! Sunderland mug has a slightly modified appearance in the sponsors’ version).
West Ham supporters are, of course, welcome to enter. The first to post the corrects scoreline, before kickoff, wins. There is the usual promise that a Hammers winner would receive mugs of more appropriate design and the even more usual reminder that Monsieur Salut’s decision shall be final.
There’s a good Who are You? to come, in which Gordon Thrower, deputy editor of the kumb.com (Knees up Mother Brown) fan site offers his usual mix of wit, opinion and analysis.
I naturally asked him – after the original responses had been delivered, pre-Poyet’s sacking – what he made of it. This, by way of a sneak preview of the full interview, was his reply:
‘It always seemed to me that there was less to Poyet than met the eye. The stuff that went on at Brighton was a bit iffy wasn’t it? As for Dick Advocaat well I’ve lost count of the number of times teams have parted company with their bosses just before we play them.
I guess there’s always the chance of a short term boost but his only taste of British football was at Rangers, so nine games is about four more than he ever had to really worry about before. I’m hoping that by Saturday he won’t have had the chance to get the best out of the squad – and after that it’s not my problem!’
We all know what rests on this game. We’ve all had our say on events at the club – catch some of this, Louise Taylor and a whole raft of comments at the Guardian site, if you can stomach more – so just get the predictions flowing …
And Ha’way the Lads.
4-2 to The Lads,it will happen some day.
Feeling good about Dickie, got a good brain on him & wants to succeed in EPL.
Going 0-2 to us
3-3. Battling start and a well earned point for the “Little General.”
Good thing you’ve got me. You’ve chucked away another mug lol
With all the rumours about Allardyce coming to us in the summer I can’t see anything but a defeat for us as some form of retribution, probably with a Nolan chicken run winner for good measure.
It’s amazing how positive most of our Salut! contributors are as regards getting at least a point. Bless you all, and God help us (again).
4-1 to us……not many bubbles being blow by the ammers?
Just read through the really interesting conversation that followed the Louise Taylor article [ which I think was generally accurate ]
There is clearly some mixed views and strong opinions about the reasons for the present plight of our club, which include blame attributed to Board, Players and successive managers [ glad to see that no-one blamed the fans – note Mr Poyet ]
I have no idea as to the truth about tensions between Head Coach and DOF, or of a drinking culture amongst the players. What seems to me to be irrefutable however is that the club has been poorly served by it’s Board [ selection of coaches/managers ] and by the last 3/4 manager’s in almost every aspect of football blub management. The fact that these incompetent clowns walk away enriched to a level far beyond the dreams of the average fan, after utterly failing in their job, is a national disgrace.
Thanks for the link anyway, great read.
” Football club management ” – although ” blub ” has a ring to it!
Not sure I agree.There is no formula for selecting a manager who can guarantee success,whatever your definition of it is unless you throw mega millions away on players ala Chelsea,United and City.
I thought that we had got it right with both Bruce and O’Neill,both proven managers whose track record would lead anyone to think they would bring mid table stability.But it didn’t work ….why?….their cvs suggested that they were avery good risk.
So tell me how do you choose the right manager?
I agree that there isn’t a formula for choosing a good manager. I guess that, as in most other areas of business, you have to know what you want to achieve, and do your homework thoroughly. I can’t help wondering why there is not more succession planning in football management [ It worked for Liverpool in the 60/70/80’s ]
My definition of success for Sunderland is, as you say, mid table stability, and attractive and entertaining football [ something like Southampton at present ] Above all, I want to see players at least trying, which I suspect has not always been the case recently.
I simply think that in recent years we have got it horribly wrong too many times, and I think that the appointment of people like PDC and GP was frankly, daft.
New manager bounce
3:0 to West Ham.
lol
I think we’ll nick it 1-0 also
2-0 to them and give Jeremy the mug
Why change the habits of a lifetime? 0-0
I take it you won’t be travelling Pete?
West Ham 2 – 3 SAFC….Dutch courage wins through, and about time too!!!
I am sure Dick is an excellent manager,but I would have been happier if his coaching team included Merlin the Magician and Gandalf the Wizard.
3-1 to WHU on the premise that I am always wrong and it’ s the players to blame and not Gus.
He will play a very organised system, making us to harder to beat (fingers crossed)….going 1-0 to us.
0-0 but hoping for a win.
it’s about time we scored and won so I’m hoping for a big 3-1 smash n grab raid in the capital and the lads to paint Londan orange n red.
I think we might nick this. 1-0 to SAFC
2-0 win for us and comfortable!!
2 each.
New manager bounce indeed, although 1-1 would be acceptable.
New manager bounce
1-2 to us