Malcolm Dawson writes: we are used to hearing managers make excuses and tell us to take the positives from defeat so it comes as something of a surprise to hear the current incumbent tell us he is not happy with a win. It was, as Spurs fans will be quick to point out, only a pre season friendly but it tells us something about the personality of the man in charge that he is taking every game seriously. Ten days to the opening game of the new season. M Salut will be expecting some interesting things to come in Paolo’s personal e-mails …
Dear Colin,
I’m not very happy, I would rather have seen the team lose and turn in a good performance rather than win with a poor performance.
I know that when there’s a revolution you can take two steps forward and then two steps backwards – as a responsible man I wanted to see a better performance.
It’s not the end of the world; we have 10 days to get ready for the new season.
Today has been a learning curve; I have noticed certain things from certain players and watched their behaviour throughout the game.
There are some positives to take, but overall I think there is still work to be done.
It’s a crucial week ahead of us. I want to see improvement over the next few days.
The game against Fulham will be tough, as will the whole season and we have to be prepared.
All the best,
Paolo Di Canio
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In my view Di Canio did save us from relegation . The team was asleep under O’Neill and in my view we wouldn’t have beaten either the Kinnearites or Everton . 2 wins only but with a team devoid of confidence and decimated with injury’s and suspensions it was indeed a minor miracle .PDC has earned the right to manage this team this season just as O’Neill did in keeping us up the season before last.O’Neill blew it, I’m praying Di Canio doesn’t .
Martin-Dougy Tooth, landlord of the Seaton Dun Cow, Seaham-there’s a book to write! Remember when he got done for poor toilet hygeine and pinned the damning health inspector’s letter on the pub wall as a badge of honour-he said what do they expect to find in toilets-its where people go to p*ss and s**t!. Cheers!
and one other thing….Larsson first choice centre midfield……I believe the term is WTF!
Nice to hear from you Tom, it’s been a long time. I hope you’re right and your faith is repaid, I’d enjoy that. For me, I’m not convinced at present but it’s fair enough to say, give him a chance. I’m happy to do so but I’m just saying before the season starts (in a kind of betting man fashion) I’m sceptical. I know how desperate Sunderland fans are for success. You and I have suffered for about the same length of time, even before we shared Doug Tooth’s hospitality in the Dun Cow! Giaccherini looks like a good buy. Selling the best keeper in the Premiership and replacing him with Arsenal’s third choice is pathetic. Still no full backs. Whatever you say about Cattermole, replacing him with Huddlestone would be a sure sign of madness. Finally, you twice state that PDC saved us from relegation. That is not a fact, it’s speculation. Eight points in seven games (described by PDC as “a miracle”) is nothing that wouldn’t have been achieved with O’Neill (in MY opinion).
Anyway, as I say, nice to hear from you and I sincerely hope you’re right and I’m wrong!
Martin, PDC saved us from relegation against all the odds, he had to endure moronic behaviour from a senior professional who covered himself in banknotes in a casino in the early hours of the morning. He’s rid us of the overweight nightclub lothario Bramble, the Championship standard Kilgallon, McClean and Graham and has seen through the overrated 75 games in four seasons and no goals car vandalising midfield general Lee ‘ASBO’ Cattermole.
I think that some of what Paolo says may get lost in his literal translation and he will have to curb his emotions when adversity beckons. However, he has hardly said anything that shouldn’t have been said years ago in all honestly-SAFC has been a dull, underachieving rest home for far too many overpaid, overrated footballer’s who have let our club down badly, thus the almost annual relegation fight and Cup exits to ordinary opposition-I give you Boro and Bolton last season alone.
He has spoken with positivity and passion about SAFC and is hell bent on us no longer being a soft touch, wanting a top class attitude from well paid professional sportsmen who will simply have to buy into his ethic or look elsewhere for employment.
Saying that his revolution “seems to largely consist of being angry with players, often in a quite personal and demeaning way” belittles what he has achieved so far-please give me three direct examples and quotes to back up your sweeping generalisation, Martin.
Long standing Sunderland fans can give you a million examples of bullshit from previous failed regimes.
Give Di Canio some credit for trying radical action to improve our footballing lot, Martin. He wouldn’t stand a chance of succeeding if a majority of people were popping at him in the manner you clearly are before the season has even begun, after saving us from the drop and signing some decent players to date, including a highly rated current full Italian international from double Scudetto winners, Juventus, in Emanuelle Giaccherini.
Fortunately most are prepared to give him a chance to succeed.
Agreed Tom. I’m not going overboard with PDC and I’ll wait and see how things shape up in terms of results and style of play, but the playing side of the club certainly needed shaking up and that is happening. It will be interesting to see how the squad buy into his methods and whether they work. Results will tell but the football surely can’t be as dire as it was last year. If he’s still around in May I guess we’ll have had a good season. It looks like it should be an interesting one!
The PDC Revolution seems to largely consist of being angry with players, often in a quite personal and demeaning way. Maybe that’s his “philosophy” and these are the “mechanisms” the players must learn. Seems like a surefire way of demotivating people to me but then I seem to be in a minority of one who thinks there’s more than a hint of bullshit about this whole business. Hope I’m wrong.
Hard to read the tea leaves on this one. Those who posted on the Echo link seemed to be worried about Cuellar rather than Colback. On the other hand I’m about to meet a tall dark stranger….
I’d like Colback to stay as I think he could turn out to be a useful fullback and keeps the quota of home players in the squad manageable. Reason I thought JC is that had there not been an agreement about red cards and he’d been sent off, he would have to miss the Fulham game at least. Is it a one or three game ban for two yellows? That wouldn’t have been the most sensible move and after all the red cards at the back end of last season I don’t think PDC would be impressed.
“I have noticed certain things from certain players and watched their behaviour throughout the game.” Reading the report in The Echo (http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/sunderland-afc/midtjylland-0-sunderland-1-johnson-strike-seals-danish-success-for-black-cats-1-5930785) sounds like he’s on about Colback.
No chance of the team or ourselves getting carried away with things if Paulo has anything to do with it. Makes a change as was stated before from the usual drivel from previous mangers when we’ve lost. More possession , unlucky, blind referee, worked hard, dissapointed blah blah blah.A new era indeed.