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Sunderland Fan View: Ringing the Championship changes
They say a week is a long time in politics. Well, in the world of football a few months can seem like eons. For Sunderland, changes during that time have been seismic and frankly, they needed to be. As a starter for ten manager David Moyes is now ex manager David Moyes. Just when positivity looked to have evaporated completely and hope of getting the club back on track looked lost, his departure can be regarded as nothing if not an encouraging start.
Once again the club made their annual managerial change but if ever a departure was essential, it was this one. It is not an exaggeration to say, this time it felt crucial to secure the club’s future. Whether Sunderland had been relegated at the end of last season or not, the Scot is one of the worst appointments the Black Cats have ever made.
READ MORE: https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/forget-relegation-moyes-sunderlands-biggest-fear-202537068.html
So bad was Moyes’ time on Wearside it will be interesting to see just where he ends up next. It will take a brave club who could now look upon his CV and feel he has something to offer them. Having since turned to former Preston manager Simon Grayson the Black Cats will hope they have now finally acquired the linchpin who can turn the Black Cats’ fortunes around.
If we’re being honest prior to Grayson’s arrival he didn’t top the list of potential candidates. He certainly wasn’t at the top of mine. However, at this early stage I would be hard pressed to be overly critical of his appointment now that he’s here.
READ MORE: https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/sunderland-confirm-grayson-appointment-192255219.html
Like a whirlwind that blows away a dark storm, Grayson has said all the right things and spoke positively around the changes he is making. He has been the very definition of a breath of fresh air in the short time he has been here. Although, let’s be honest, it is difficult to be as dour as Moyes. By contrast perhaps anyone arriving in the hotseat next would be looked upon as being more upbeat than the Scot.
To that end we will know more about Grayson’s chances of taking the Black Cats forward by Christmas. By then the club will have had a good run of games to show just what the new squad is made of.
READ MORE: https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/sunderland-turn-grayson-short-pledges-115723608.html
A number of players have already been shipped out with more departures likely. It seems this is essential to the club both in terms of recouping finance but also in respect of simply clearing out those that don’t wish to be here.
If you asked me what are my aspirations for Sunderland’s forthcoming season in the Championship, I’d say a win before October and a seventh or eighth place finish would feel like success.
He’s not a fashionable manager, but Grayson may just succeed here. If he does, having him around for the next few seasons should help to point Sunderland back towards the Premier League and anything is possible from there.
