Jermain Defoe

SA’s Essay: Shattering (for the Mags, that is)

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Jake's take on Big Sam
Jake’s take on Big Sam

John McCormick writes: I e-mailed Colin yesterday to say I wouldn’t be available to do much this weekend (what with birthdays, daughter flying in from the States, alcohol to be consumed, etc.) I nearly wasn’t around right from the start as everyone had left for the restaurant before the final whistle blew and I had to shut down various feeds, set the alarm, leg it to the meal, and so on. But I did get there in time and then, as one of the people at the party was just over 1 year old (Born on the day we did 5 in a row, as it happens) we had to leave early, which meant I got back earlier than expected. As a result I had time to log on and find the very personal letter our manager had sent to Colin, and which had been forwarded exclusively to me.

It was so good I just had to share it.

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Sixer’s Sevens: Sunderland 3-2 Chelsea. The stuff off dreams. Magnificent, Lads

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Jake: 'One word: magnificent'
Jake: ‘One word: magnificent’

Colin Randall writes: Sensational. After a heartbreaker of a goal at the end of the first half, Sunderland came back from 2-1 down to win with wonderful strikes from Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe to add to Wabi Khazri’s first-half screamer. The referee Mike Jones had a stinker and at times made it look as if SAFC were playing 12 men with some crazy decision all over the pitch. He should have sent off Cahill in the first half (Terry did go right at the end) and repeatedly got his calls utterly wrong. Never mind. One win – at home to Everton on Wednesday – and Sunderland are safe yet again. Expect Pete Sixsmith‘s considered account to be somewhat upbeat; this is where his seven-word instant verdict appears …

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From West Ham, Bournemouth, Spurs to Wearside: Defoe, Player of the Year

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Arise Sir Jermain, Player of SAFC's Season
Jake: ‘arise Sir Jermain, Player of SAFC’s Year’

We had a reference to Shakespearian tragedies last week and now Pete Sixsmith quotes the Bard in an appreciation of Jermain Defoe, who has been named Sunderland’s player of the year as voted by supporters. Come what may, the striker has done his job in style. Even the Londoncentric pundits are forever reminding us of the extraordinary achievement of scoring so freely for a team that’s been in trouble all season. All at Salut! Sunderland salute his efforts for the club and welcome the award …

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Sixer’s Norwich Soapbox: Catt’s Cats calm Canaries’ clappers

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Pete Sixsmith: Real Betis, real close to home, real football
Pete Sixsmith: a long way from home
  • And so it came to pass that the 11 hours spent on a coach was worthwhile after all.
  • And that the 2,500 disciples shoehorned into the corner of Carrow Road were loud in their praise of The Great God Sam and his angels and archangels on the field.
  • And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth from the followers of the home team, who vented their fury by renting their garments and hurling their clappers and plastic canaries onto the Holy Ground of the aforementioned Carrow Road.
  • And there was much gaiety and joyfulness on the long and (not very) winding road back to the Land of Milk and Honey that is known as County Durham.

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SA’s essay: we can enjoy the weekend, not to mention the journey back.

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Jake's take on Big Sam
Jake’s take on Big Sam

John McCormick writes: this was surely an “I was there” game, only I wasn’t, I had to make do with the TV. A nervy start had me hiding behind the settee and I found it difficult to watch, even at 2-0 up, but I persevered and managed to relax when young Duncan scored. What must it have been like for yet another magnificent away crowd, and for the players and manager to win in front of them?

Here’s what Sam has to say in a letter he composed and sent to Colin (and maybe a couple of others) before getting back on the bus

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Can Sunderland avoid relegation? Seven-in-a-row would make a Yes more likely

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Ye olde days
Ye olde days

Parts of Salut! Sunderland are a bag of nerves as the Tyne-Wear derby approaches. Six-in-a-row will count for nothing if Newcastle United end the run; even a draw may end up being insufficient depending on the result in WBA-Norwich on Saturday and, more important still, the outcome of Norwich’s forthcoming home games against both us and Newcastle. Here is an assessment of our chances, and how others rate them, from Noah Sparrow…

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Could Jermain Defoe be in Roy Hodgson’s squad for the Euros?

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Can Jermain make the Cherry pips squeak?
Can Jermain make Roy peer north of Watford, staying east?

When the question was first raised, Monsieur Salut’s instinctive response was along the lines of ‘Hodgson doesn’t really know where Sunderland is, so is unlikely to see Jermain Defoe play unless we’re away to and being beaten soundly by a London side containing one or more of his favourites’. But the questioner persisted with the result that we have now a guest article, from Mark Smith, a sports writer based in Prague, weighing up the pros and cons of Defoe’s case for an England recall …

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