Less Black Cat more Black Dog

There are many highs and lows in football. Given Sunderland fans get to experience so few highs, when those brief, special moments do decide to reveal themselves, they taste oh so sweeter for it. I have to admit, however, that I’m going through a rather low spell at the moment. Less Black Cat and more Black Dog on my shoulder.

Why so sad? Well, the reasons feel numerous but I’ll try and explain. The moment when football fans are forced to see managers hanging out of car windows, are blinded by sports presenter’s yellow ties and observe Big Ben striking in an overly dramatic fashion is looming. Transfer deadline day is nearly upon us. Despite this, Sunderland have managed to sign only Jan Kirchhoff, who had one of the worst debuts in a red and white shirt, Dame N’Doye on loan, who hasn’t been able to score in the Turkish league and ‘veteran’ 40 year old goalkeeper Steve Harper who was released by Hull City - hardly inspiring stuff. When the gloves need to be off, the battle lines drawn and it’s a fight to the end, are these the names you genuinely think will pull Sunderland away from the situation they find themselves in (again)?

There is a swathe of Black Cat supporters online talking favourably about the situation and I’m usually one of them. Trying to justify what appears, on the face of it, to be disconcerting is sometimes part of being a fan. However, if I’m brutally honest, I’m growing tired of trying to put a positive spin on something that I know, deep down, is just simply unsatisfactory.

I’m not looking at this in piecemeal fashion. This isn’t a tale of woe based on this season’s performance alone let’s get that clear. Sunderland are second bottom but despite approaching ten years back in the Premier League the Black Cats have, for the most part, fought relegation every year. Other teams only just arriving in the league have surpassed us. There has been no progress when you look at the buys so far during January. In fact, I’d argue Sunderland have moved backwards. The club stopped shopping in Harrods as Steve Bruce infamously said a long time ago, I’m not sure its even bargain basement either. It feels more like Sam Allardyce is being forced to attend the transfer food bank at present.

There has been some catastrophic buys over the years. Sunderland aren’t paying the price from one specific disaster; it’s many layered on top of each other and trying to unravel the mess is like attempting to cut through knot weed that has ravaged an old garden.

Are there any positives? I’m struggling but I’m still absolutely convinced Sam Allardyce is the right man for the job. Those catastrophic buys I mentioned earlier are slowly leaving the club and freeing up the wage bill. The problem is their replacements don’t seem to be much of an improvement, at least on paper.

No doubt there’ll be some activity in the transfer window before the 1st February 2016 and a win against Bournemouth will mean three wins out of four but getting that sustained positive run of games has eluded us season after season. Will things change now? Like a lab rat returning to be electrocuted, thinking this time will be different, I’ve become weary. I’m in need of this team of mine to give me something back. Unfortunately my faith of them being able to do so is running on fumes. Don’t let me down Sunderland.