Paolo Di Canio’s last post-match e-mail of the season, a season we are grateful to see over, rightly praises the effort his players put into a gusty performance that so nearly brought a point at Tottenham …
Dear Colin,
We’re obviously disappointed with the result but the lads have done a very good job.
They gave everything in terms of commitment and desire but we’re still going back with zero points from the game.
Gareth Bale made the difference once again for Tottenham with a great piece of play.
I’m very happy with the performance, it was disciplined and we didn’t lose our brains.
Sometimes in final games the players are too relaxed and thinking about their holidays, but that was not the case today. Spurs had to work hard to get their three points.
The team did well considering players like Jack Colback and Sebastian Larsson weren’t in their normal positions.
They did very well, but in the future I would like to have more difficulties when it comes to choosing my team.
A big thank you to the fans – I cannot measure the number of fans who were here today.
They sang all the way through the game and they were louder than the opposition fans and I loved seeing them in the section of the stadium in their red and white shirts.
I wish we could have got a point for them to have something to celebrate. Unfortunately that didn’t happen, but the players wore the shirt and played the best way they could today and that’s the best we can deliver.
All the best,
Paolo Di Canio
http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/sunderland/id/1618?cc=5739
Sample:
I must be even-handed about this. When Bale, a wonderful talent, repeatedly lets himself down with theatrical falls and blatant dives, I am among the first to howl. Here, for once, he was the innocent victim. Seb Larsson seemed to be all over him before applying a final little push as he broke in the penalty area.
Easiest of decisions? Marriner acted on his one sighting of the incident and also, perhaps, on memories of many less honest tumbles and showed Bale, understandably apoplectic, a yellow card. Even the former Sunderland striker and chairman Niall Quinn, offering television punditry, said the referee got it hopelessly wrong.
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Congratulations to Chelsea and Arsenal on yet another successfully season . What it must be like to see your bitterest , hated rivals winning the champions league and premiership I have no idea Stu but your name phonetically gives the game away ,Stew . We thankfully have never had to endure those horrors.Get off our site and don’t come back you spitefully ,childish bore.
Very bitter this lad Stu isn’t he. Maybe it’s time you started following the Arsenal son. What’s upset you?
Spurs are just like The Kinks, Stu. They were good a long time ago but it’s so long ago that most folk don’t remember and it doesn’t matter anyway.
Us lads up north don’t, ……..well can’t take Spurs seriously. Enjoy yourself challenging for but not quite making the top 4. You have a decent team in Gareth Bale, and it might be the best XI since they days of Gilzean and Chivers.
Well i’m stunned. Really? Well done, humble pie all over my face.
Well i’m stunned. Really? Well done, humble pie all over my face. I’ll offer my apologies with a face of red.
Stu: since you asked, six top flight league titles (SAFC) and two (THFC). All a lomg time ago, of course. For both of us.
I have said it before to you, back the manager, we at AV started our season with the likes of Bent, Ireland etc but it did not take too long for the attitudes to be sidelined. To be honest it was easier to support players who were giving their all for the club and although it took time (almost too long) we have a good base to work from. It is almost comical now reading our sites as to which players will be bought in because we know the chances are we will never have heard of them, our new mantra is young and hungry so if PDC brings in players from lower leagues or unknown europeans embrace it and enjoy the ride.
All the best AVFC
I completely agree with the comments and post match analysis made by Paulo di Canio. For too long many players have had it far too easy. We, the fans, watch every week for commitment, passion, some semblance of skill allied to tactics and team work. Until Di Canio came to the club this has been general lacking. It is frustrating when you catch glimpses of what the team can do such as when they went on the cup run. But, thereafter, the performances and commitment were totally lacking and that, inevitable, affects the confidence of all the players.
There are some players who need a good kick up the backside and have it laid on the that they show discipline and act like professionals or leave the club. Should this happen, ironically, the good days will not be over for them but they will just be starting. Unfortunately, many of the players cannot see it … yet!
Bardsley is an idiot. He is an OK rightback, but really if we want to push on then he is exactly the type of player that we need to replace, he can stop people,some times, but offers little else. The team haven absolutely crap all season, we are ustill in a recession and that idiot gets his photo published rolling around in money…celebrating…when they should be hanging their heads in shame for the performances this season…beggars belief. We avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth FFS these guy’s need a reality check!
I for one am expecting seismic shifts in playing personnel this summer because the prospect of a repeat of this season are just too much to bear and unless there is a major overhaul of the playing staff then that is what we may end up with.
Migs, Fletcher, Sess (just), Colback can all hold their heads up, maybe O’shea and one or two others, but the rest really need to up their game or ship out. Drastic measures are called for and Di Canio and Short are just the ones to undertake them.
Very well said.
Spot on summary of our dismal season and first team squad.I fear yet another struggle next year as we totally restructure again.In effect with the major overhaul required we become the equivalent of a newly promoted team, yet again .
It looks like Bardsley might have played his last game for us. I think the photo of him covered in £50 notes was a bit ill judged considering the kind of season he’s had, but PDC has to be careful of alienating everyone.
Mancici managed to eventually alienate the City dressing room. I hope PDC doesn’t do it. People like O Shea and the like will do well under PDC because I think he’s professional and expects the standards which he probably got used to under SAF. Cattermole will be hungry to do well, but people like Johnson like a pint so he might suffer. Others like Sess might sulk. Gardner might do well if pushed. Wickham’s attitude needs to change (apparently). etc etc Different players will react differently. I hope PDC is wise enough to figure out how to tailor his motivation.
Remember this same group of players (pretty much) stopped playing for MON and Bruce.
I’ll not be too sad to lose Bardsley, but the likes of Sess we need to keep…
I won’t be remotely sad to lose Bardsley. Notwithstanding his recent antics, IMO he is not PL quality, and never has been. Wholehearted, yes, but can’t pass and has no pace.
I wouldn’t be sad to lose Sessegnon either. I think he had 4 decent games last season. The rest of the time he was poor. He does have talent, and if PDC can bring that out consistantly, I’d change my view. But neither Bruce or O’Neill managed to do so.
Rubbish. 24 shots on target. Player sent off, two nailed on penalties. Parked the bus in front of the spurs goal, and occasionally i heard some monkey hangers singing like jimmy nail. You were slightly too good to go down..
Ooh how hurtful
Without Bale you would not be anywhere near a Champions League Spot, one man teams do not flourish in the Champions league anyway.
Bale has cheated in the past so if Refs misjudge his actions then thats his fault.
The rest of your drivel isn’t worth commenting on…….but Arsenal have Champions League pedigree and for the good of the game in England I have no doubt that you are quite happy for them to fly the flag in Europes top competition, after all they are an other London Club and I’m sure you will get behind them.
Haha lets go through our talent, not leading goalscorer lol. RIGHT…we have France captain and 3rd world goalkeeper of the year, jan vertonghen- in the premier league team of the year( how many sunderland players are in that LOL) england striker jermain defoe, football writers player of the year scott parker. French centre back Y Kaboul, brazilian Sandro- subject to a 20 million bid from AC MIlan, aaron lennon. WHAT A CLASS OUTFIT, OH AND MONKEY BOY AS WELL.. Sunderlands adam johnson would be the only player who could clean our teams boots. Lol
My how the ego has grown from a few years back when a cocktail stick had more points than spuds.
Were sunderland in the premier league or scrapping points against oldham throughout the 90’s and every other couple of years. YOU ARE CHAMPIONSHIP.
Ego? I support Tottenham Hotspur. First double winners, first british club to win a major euro trophy in ’63, How many euro trophies do sunderland possess?? Please i’d love to see if you have won more than spurs 5? Nothing i guess. Being a Spurs fan is about history, i’ll admit that but boy we have pedigree. Other than a statue of reg stoker for winning one trophy. Im ending this now as its heartbreaking bullying “the little boys”
Was that a bite……
This is a football site and if you want to discuss/ argue about football then fair enough, all are welcome as is banter but please leave the juvenile and petty name calling behind.
For your education the Monkey references relate to Hartlepool Utd
Additionally if Spurs are so great then you should be able to replicate Chelsea’s achievements in Europe next season shouldn’t you.
One more thing we don’t need you to tell us how poor we have been this season we already know.
Oh and the mighty spurs got to the quarter final of the champs league. FIRST ATTEMPT, ARSEnal making that 3 times in 16 yes 16 attempts. God justifying Tottenham Hotspur to a Sunderland fan. Crikey, our season wasn’t that bad! How it must feel to even live there
You have a strange idea of justification. If Arsenal have been three times it because their league performance justified it. If Spurs have been once then their league position justified that. I’ll leave you to draw the natural conclusions for this………..but here’s a clue…it because the gunners have been more successful and therefore been more times.
SIMPLES
Two top four finishes in four years although the teams above are spending in excess of 85 million. But im sure you can grasp Spurs achievements. Last year chelsea finished fifth. When did sunderland get near the top ten. Help as i have no idea as to the glory of bob stocker. L M F A O. PISS OF BACK TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP.