Solidarity with the families of Newcastle fans killed in Malaysian Airlines disaster

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When banter ends and football seems unimportant
When banter ends and football seems unimportant

Salut! Sunderland, or the collection of individuals who make it happen, is tonight thinking of all the victims of the despicable shooting-down of the Malaysian Airlines Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flight MH17 over Ukraine, and of the bereaved.

Since this a football site that predominantly concerns a North-eastern club, it is natural that our thoughts should go especially to the families of John Alder and Liam Sweeney, Newcastle United supporters who were on their way to watch their team in a pre-season tournament.

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Raich Carter: great gesture, grateful beneficiaries in Sunderland

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Raich and Raich
Raich and Raich

Who are You? – interviews with fans of teams SAFC are about to play – is a feature of which Salut! Sunderland is quite proud, even if it sometimes seems a thankless task. What you are about to read makes the whole thing feel worthwhile …

Raich Carter, son of the man who played 278 times for Sunderland and nowhere often enough for England (13 caps) despite being one of his generation’s finest footballers, was a popular choice as the winner of Salut! Sunderland’s annual “Who are You?” awards. He’s a Hull City fan – dad was their player-manager from 19478-1951 and made a huge impact on Humberside – with a massive soft spot for Wearside.

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Fifty years of Sunderland openers: (1) Leicester City and six goals

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Derek Forster: a young with a very grown-up up role
Derek Forster: a young kid with a very grown-up up role

On a day when I caught (via Facebook) my old pal Barry Emmerson “listening on Spotify to Billy Fury (not Halfway to Paradise but Jealousy) – it seems right that Pete Sixsmith should launch a new series on opening games of Sunderland seasons. He’s seen quite enough, but has magnificent power of recall that enables him to bring to life the detail of August encounters of his and SAFC’s past …

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The Robson Report: a Messi end to Brazil 2014

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taking a detached view of events overseas
taking a detached view of events overseas

Not quite done with the World Cup yet. Jeremy Robson lets fly at the decision-making process that led to Lionel Messi being chosen as player of the tournament ahead, he says, of far more deserving participants …

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Could Borini return to Sunderland and fire a Europa League challenge?

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Fabio earns his place in Sunderland hearts
Fabio earns his place in Sunderland hearts

Salut! Sunderland welcomes offerings from anyone with something to say that directly relates to our shared passion for SAFC or offers a fresh, illuminating insight into football more generally. Here is a piece submitted by a collaborator (in its nicer sense, not the French one)* on a subject dear to many Sunderland hearts. Can we have our Borini back and where do we stand in trying to make that happen? Let Sean O’Connor take up the story …

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Brazil 2014: Götze’s glorious strike makes it Germany 1 Argentina 0

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ger2


It took a slice of true footballing genius to win it for Germany. But, anxious moments for Neuer aside, was there ever any serious doubt? …


It finally became clear to me that Germany would win the 2014 World Cup on 60 minutes when the best goalkeeper of the tournament, Manuel Neuer, had his Harald Schumacher moment.

Until then, it had been a game dominated on possession by Germany but with Argentina mostly looking likelier to score. Pete Sixmsith considered that even our Jozy would have buried the chance that fell to Gonzalo Higuain, thanks to Toni Kroos thinking he was David Luiz for a second and heading vaguely towards Neuer but putting the forward clear on goal. He screwed it wide.

That wasn’t Neuer’s Schumacher moment.

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The Robson Report: Brazil 2014 – overblown, over hyped and over on Sunday

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taking a detached view of events overseas
taking a detached view of events overseas
Jeremy Robson is not a man to shy away from a good debate. It could be said that had he studied for the Bar it would have been at the Devil’s School of Advocacy, but his observations are always incisive and well argued. He has been watching the affairs in Brazil with interest and shares his thoughts about a World Cup nearing its conclusion.

Over the course of the last month we’ve seen the best of the world game, for what it is. There may be no Pele, Muller, Beckenbauer, Tostao, Jairzhino, Ronaldo, Charlton, Gascoigne, Cruyff, Neeskens, Baggio, Schillachi, Platini, Garrincha, or Maradona. There is really no stunning team, but we have seen some very good football. It has to be said that there have been some awful games to watch as well.

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