The Northern Irishman will resign next July after saving his beloved Black Cats from relegation once he realizes he did sign on to a club that’s trying to contain its spending and turnover.
I’m not saying Steve Bruce didn’t deserve to be sacked. I’m surprised he got it before Steve Kean did, but he did deserve it. O’Neill did keep Villa challenging in the top half, but financial stewardship isn’t his strong point as a manager.
By Amy Quinn, writing from Dublin.
The summer of 2011, now nearing its close, will be remembered for many things; Joey Barton losing (or perhaps finding) his marbles on Twitter, Everton failing to make a single signing, André Villas-Boas perplexing English journalists and commentators (it’s Veelash-Bowash, apparently), and last but certainly not least, the sudden spurt in clubs that, though exactly traditional super-powers of the sport, are flexing some serious muscle in the transfer market. With the likes of Malaga and Paris Saint-Germain making the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City look like peasants, it’s a time for the little guy to dream a bit bigger. When Javier Pastore snubs the likes of Chelsea for a somewhat surprising, £36.5 million move to Leonardo-led PSG, who last year finished fourth in Ligue 1, you have to admit: this summer, it’s not always been the usual suspects.
The north of England has not really seen football fairytales on the scale Paris and Andalusia have this summer, but there is one club making ripples - if not waves. Instead of London, Manchester or indeed Merseyside, Premier League transfer business has had an unusual focus; Wearside, where Steve Bruce’s Sunderland have sunk their teeth into the market with impressive, but erudite, eagerness. No, they haven’t reached Sheikh standards, nor have they signed any Argentinean prodigies. In fact, they haven’t made a signing worth more than £8 million pounds. So why the fuss, eh?
We (foolishly) don’t give shout outs to our good friends at A Football Report enough. I figure this would be a good a time as any to do so. The Black Cats look like they mean serious business this season in the Premier League this season and could be an interesting story to follow this season.
