Gareth Roberts*, editor of the ‘leading independent voice on Liverpool FC’, The Anfield Wrap, comes up with a scoreline prediction none of us will thank him for. But he also answers our questions with an informed and informative manner, defending Jurgen Klopp in his spats with the media, acclaiming the two Jordans, doubting Mignolet’s Anfield future and, naturally, going for Liverpool to win the title …
Neil Atkinson*, our old pal from The Anfield Wrap podcast and site, had to rise above a mountain of typos to make sense of Salut! Sunderland‘s questions ahead of SAFC’s visit to Liverpool on Saturday. Once he’d deciphered them, he came up with these thoughtful and entertaining responses, kindly predicting survival for Sunderland and offering a lyrical, Shankly-inspired appraisal of Jurgen Klopp’s needs …
John McCormick‘s adopted home city, Liverpool, is now also Simon Mignolet’s. That won’t make John switch allegiance to the Scousers. But he understands why the Belgian was attracted by the lure of Anfield, faded as its glory may be …
As Birflatt Boy would have it, both Pete Sixsmith and Monsieur Salut have been guilty of wilfully wishing Simon Mignolet well. But is it right that the Sunderland Echo quoted him as saying once he learned of Liverpool’s interest, he set his heart on leaving? Zero mention, we learn at the Blackcats list, ‘of being sad to leave, hard decision, enjoyed his time here, appreciated the support’. Well, maybe he’s already said as much elsewhere. It would still cut no ice with our shadiest contributor …
Salut! Sunderland is famously cautious about transfer speculation. Sometimes, there is no need for caution and absolutely no need to wait for the club’s traditional dawdle towards making a proper announcement.
With Simon Mignolet, the writing was on the wall from the moment the season finished, if not earlier, and we felt perfectly able to comment on his likely departure. His agent did make some ambiguous comments that seemed at odds with the truth, long after Liverpool had quite obviously begun the process of securing our keeper’s services. But then his agent has form, as indeed do most agents. What Is An Agent For? might make a good title for a Lower Sixth essay.
Is he off or isn’t he? We have had to endure speculation for a season or more that the lure of a bigger club – yes, there are a handful of them – would deprive us of Simon Mignolet’s services. It was perhaps inevitable that the flattering interest would eventually turn his head. We have to be adult about this: he is not a Sunderland supporter but a professional footballer who happens to be playing for us and must make the most of his abilities in what, even for keepers, is a short career. Thinking of Liverpool, even players who are Sunderland supporters and playing for SAFC are generally more attached to professional progression and self-interest than sentiment. Rather like most other people. Pete Sixsmith discusses the contribution to our cause Mignolet has made and for which, if go he must, he will always receive a warm welcome from the vast majority of Sunderland fans …
During Martin O’Neill’s final months as SAFC manager, it became increasingly hard to gather and comment on news for a Reflections piece for Salut! Sunderland, writes Stephen Goldsmith. It seems unlikely Di Canio’s reign will be similar. The end of season is generally a bit of a lull for bloggers and writers, who try their best to avoid getting carried away with bogus and erroneous transfer targets. There have been a couple of interesting developments in the last week, though, “that’s for sure” (Bruce: 2009/2010/2011).
At ESPNFC.com, a couple of Arsenal supporters responding to end-of-season roundups, including Monsieur Salut’s, urged Monsieur Wenger to go for Simon Mignolet as his saves had kept Sunderland up. We’d all like to tell them, and Arsène if he comes, where to go. Do it politely – M Salut’s admiration for the Alsacien is well known – but make it forceful. But John McCormick has been doing his sums again to see exactly who did what to take us to our mighty haul of 39 points … and Mignolet is not the only name under the McCormick microscope …
Pete Sixsmith has been more selective in the season that ends today, especially with London away games and ripoff ticket prices. He still got to most matches – including White Hart Lane this afternoon – and, as often happens, The Observer came calling for his appraisal of what he had witnessed, asking him to award marks out of 10 and nominate the season’s best this and that. All before today’s game, of course. Pete wil be back to round off our own series of end-of-season reviews …
I know. I’m just dreaming. But each time my own trade, the one Lord Justice Leveson looked at and found wanting, is trashed, I think of another one that I think may be even more deserving of opprobrium.
It is human nature when facing sustained attack, rational and irrational, to look for someone else who is even worse. Voila! Football agents.
Image: addick-tedKevin