RODWELL, KONE AND CATS’ FUTURE UNDER MICROSCOPE
Q&A: OUR VERY OWN RICHARD MENNEAR AND BBC NEWCASTLE’S NICK BARNES DISCUSS ALL THINGS SUNDERLAND
While first-team action has been quiet this week at Sunderland in the international break, there have still been a number of key issues on Wearside.
Rumours over moving the club’s hub and training ground to London resurfaced thanks to comments from former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys, while takeover talks still abounds at Sunderland.
Sunderland writer Richard Mennear and BBC Newcastle’s Nick Barnes took part in a live Q&A where they addressed fans’ queries on those issues, plus Simon Grayson’s future, Jack Rodwell and Sunderland’s season so far. back of Richard Keys’ blog.
It’s nonsense really, there’s nothing in it. Sunderland won’t be moving down south, it wouldn’t make any sense economically.
It’s a non-starter. This is a football club that’s trying to save money.
Why would you suddenly start addressing London prices, having to transport players up and down from Wearside to London? It’s just madness – I don’t understand why it’s been given any credence whatsoever. Ellis is going nowhere. Even if there was an interested party, it’s not going to happen in the next six weeks, it’s not going to happen in the next six months.
We are where we are, Simon Grayson has got the money that he’s got. The club is not parlous but it’s not great.
Officially the club is not for sale but I think you’d be naive to think it isn’t if a super offer came in.
It’s not just the money up front though, it’s having the money to run the club in the way that Ellis Short still does.
Ellis Short is still putting money in, people forget that. He is still underwriting the debt.
I don’t see them replacing Grayson as I don’t see results getting so bad on a consistent basis.
We saw that with the reaction from the Ipswich game.
He addressed issues, Kone being one. His decisionmaking will be easier now.
In many ways McNair’s return has been overshadowed by Watmore’s.
When Sunderland played at Queens Park rangers in the League Cup I was very impressed with him.
I thought there’s a player who has found his level, and he got two goals.
Goals have got to come from midfield and I think McNair could get them. He will give people a bit more flexibility in there. on Tuesday in the centre of a back three and was at fault for the goal when he came out and lost possession. It just shows where he’s at.
He didn’t stand out against a team that had several 17-year-olds, large numbers of 20-year-olds, had made eight changes.
He should be head and shoulders above those players