GRAYSON SACKED 15 MINS AFTER GAME
New low seals Sunderland manager’s fate
THE home supporters were wrong when they directed a stinging rendition of ‘ You’re getting sacked in the morning’ towards their own manager. Sunderland boss Simon Grayson was axed within 15 minutes of full-time.
Chief executive Martin Bain — acting on the instruction of owner Ellis Short — was waiting to deliver the news after this shambolic draw against the only club positioned beneath them before kick-off.
In failing to win they equalled the English record for home matches without victory, a ruinous run which extends to 19 and dates back to last December. That gives some indication of the mess Grayson inherited from David Moyes in the summer, but he has done nothing to improve a sorry situation at a once-proud club.
Indeed, Grayson made matters worse and paid with his job, just 125 days and 18 matches after he quit Preston for an offer he said he could not refuse. He must wish he had done his own due diligence.
He arrived with the ambition of taking the club out of the Championship and, somewhat bullishly, was still talking about that on the eve of this game. They are heading out of the division all right, in the direction of League One.
Now they must begin the search for their ninth boss in six years. Bain talks of longing for stability, but to achieve that you must first appoint a good manager. Twice he has come up short in that regard.
Grayson was only installed when Aberdeen’s Derek McInnes turned them down at the 11th hour in June, and that looks a shrewd decision on his part.
The club has an owner who doesn’t want to be here and players, too, who look as if they’d rather be anywhere else.
Who takes this job on now? Certainly not former boss Sam Allardyce, as some fans wish. He had his eyes opened to the problems which have long since plagued the club well before he left for England. They could well turn to an old favourite in a bid to reignite some sort of passion. Peter Reid? Kevin Phillips?
Such is the apathy on Wearside right now that home fans could not even muster the enthusiasm to boo Bolton’s Adam Armstrong, the Newcastle loanee. Similarly, former Magpie Sammy Ameobi escaped scorn — even after he smashed the opening goal from 25 yards just after the half hour.
By then, anger was directed at their own manager and players. ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt’ was aimed at those on the pitch, while the lonely figure of Grayson on the touchline was hit with calls for him to go — and not from the away end.
It was a surprise, then, when Sunderland managed to beat the jeers and draw level. There was shock, too, in the identity of the supply line. Didier Ndong — the club-record signing who has come nowhere near justifying his £13.6million price tag — threaded a pass for Lewis Grabban to chase and he out-ran Mark Beevers before clipping over Ben Alnwick.
When Sunderland did take the lead on 57 minutes, it was as if all had been forgiven, players and supporters celebrating as one after Grabban finished from Bryan Oviedo’s low cross. But peace in these parts, however, is only ever temporary. By the hour Bolton were level, Gary Madine snapping in from close range.
Come 66 minutes, the visitors were in front. Ndong’s back-pass was short and Antonee Robinson pounced. Still, when he was forced wide the danger looked to have passed. Not so. He crossed to the far post and Karl Henry steamed in to volley home.
But, somehow, Sunderland salvaged parity when Paddy McNair steered into the bottom corner on 79 minutes.
Could they go on and win it? Of course not, that just doesn’t happen here these days.
By the end they could barely be bothered to boo any more and Grayson disappeared down the tunnel without offering applause. He would have known exactly what was waiting.