11/05/24
March 10, 2003
Struggling Sunderland sack Sgt. Wilko and his assistant Steve Cotterill,: after only two wins in twenty games. Mick McCarthy and Brian Robson are apparently already in the frame for the hot seat at the Stadium of Light. But whoever they appoint, can they possibly save the Black Cats from relegation to Division One?
Poor Sunderland... They have so many people going to their games every week. I hope they make it... If i had my choice for who would get relegated it would be Aston Villa, Manchester City and Bolton. As a matter of fact, thats my prediction... Anyone else want to wager?
posted by StarFucker at 08:58 PM on March 10, 2003
Erm. I'll bet you a million quid that Man City don't go down this season SF. Lots of hints from 5 live that Mick McCarthy will be the next man for the job. What a job though - Sunderland are in a hole and are almost certain relegation candidates. I can't see them challenging in the hyper competitive first division either.
posted by BigCalm at 03:00 AM on March 11, 2003
I don't really make predictions, particularly when my team is involved but I WILL predict that StarFucker will be proved to be wrong (as I think he knows already). If I were pushed I'd go as far to say Sunderland, West Brom and AN Other. Realistically I think only the bottom seven can get sucked into the relegation zone, and even that would demand some catastrophic form from those teams who have a gap already: TEAM - PLAYED - POINTS Villa 29 35 Leeds 29 34 Birmingham 29 32 Bolton 29 26 West Ham 29 26 West Brom 29 21 Sunderland 29 19 If I had to choose my preferred three it would be Villa (sorry BigCalm), Leeds and Bolton. The Guardian meanwhile reckons Mick McCarthy has already got the job. If anyone can motivate the Sunderland squad to the monumental efforts required then he's the man.
posted by squealy at 03:12 AM on March 11, 2003
Why would you want LEEDS to go down?! What have LEEDS done to you?
posted by StarFucker at 08:31 AM on March 11, 2003
I'm a Sunderland fan and I have to say that Wilco's been a disaster - though to be fair we've been on the slide since Feb 2001 under Reid. The worst thing is that seven more points than he's managed so far would have been a disaster in its own right but would have been enough to be right back in there - that's how bad the other teams down there with us are too. For what it's worth I think we're down but our next two games (6 points) are Bolton and West Ham - win those and we are between 1 and 4 points behind both with 21 to play for. When Reid took over we were seven points adrift with nine to play and dead and buried in most people's books.....
posted by Brettski at 09:28 AM on March 11, 2003
Brettski: I wouldn't mind seeing Sunderland survive. I'd rather see Leeds go down in their place. (Yes, I'm w/ squealy on this.)
posted by worldcup2002 at 09:43 AM on March 11, 2003
Why Leeds? The Bowyer and Woodgate thing didn't help my impressions of them. Also, they have a nasty, racist section of their support much bigger than any other premiership club, or so it seems. Aside from that, my mate Tony supports them and it would be funny to see him cry. :-)
posted by squealy at 10:01 AM on March 11, 2003
Leeds is NOT going down... Man City will go down before Leeds... 
posted by StarFucker at 10:41 AM on March 11, 2003
So you accept the bet then SF? If Man City don't go down, you owe me a million quid? (and if they do, I owe you a million quid). Brettski: Nice to have another club represented here at Spofi (one doing even worse than Blues or Villa is doubly welcome). My predictions for relegation: Sunderland (sorry Brettski. But, let's face it, it's not all Wilko's fault). West Brom Bolton (yes, West Ham are staying up).
posted by BigCalm at 11:03 AM on March 11, 2003
It's McCarthy for definite now.
posted by squealy at 08:06 AM on March 12, 2003
From managing Keane and Ireland, to Sunderland. This guy is a masochist.
posted by worldcup2002 at 09:14 AM on March 12, 2003
HA! No kidding... Well, he'll probably stay there till they come back to the Premiership after next year. Then we'll see how he does. Unless of course he can't lift them out of first division after the first year...
posted by StarFucker at 10:20 AM on March 12, 2003
According to one Irish sports journalist, Sunderland should fear the worst. Let's remember Wilko took Everton to FA Cup and League Cup triumphs back in the 80s. (Did Everton ever win the League under his management? I don't remember. No? Maybe it's because Liverpool kicked their ass! Hahaha!). Hey, 86! Get over here and clarify Everton's history. Defend your team's honor! ... erm, anyway, McCarthy is no Wilko.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:39 PM on March 12, 2003
Methinks you might have mistaken Howard Wilkinson for Howard Kendall, worldcup2002. Wilkinson managed the Leeds side that won the 1st division in the season before the formation of the Premiership.
posted by salmacis at 05:31 PM on March 12, 2003
Oh, I am egregiously mistaken. Thanks, salmacis. And profuse apologies to Mr. Kendall. I thought he'd really aged. Hahahahahaha.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:00 PM on March 17, 2003
I think you know the answer: No. The bottom four today: TEAM - PLAYED - POINTS Bolton 29 26 West Ham 29 26 West Brom 29 21 Sunderland 29 19 Sunderland has nine games left to make up a 7-point disadvantage over West Ham or Bolton. Simply put, that means every week from now until May, they must get one more point than those two teams. That implies they must at least tie every game while the other teams lose all their games. They must not lose even one game. Let's look at the actual games these teams have to play. (I've bolded games between the relegation strugglers. Sunderland gets the four teams immediately above it: Bolton, West Ham, Birmingham and West Brom in the next five weeks!) Bolton Wanderers Mar 15: Sunderland (a). Mar 24: Tottenham (h). Apr 5: Man City (h). Apr 12: Chelsea (a). Apr 19: West Ham (h). Apr 21: Blackburn (a). Apr 26: Arsenal (h). May 3: Southampton (a). May 11: Middlesbrough (h). West Ham United Mar 15: Everton (a). Mar 22: Sunderland (h). Apr 5: Southampton (a). Apr 12: Aston Villa (h). Apr 19: Bolton (a). Apr 21: Middlesbrough (h). Apr 26: Manchester City (a). May 3: Chelsea (h). May 11: Birmingham City (a). Sunderland Mar 15: Bolton (h). Mar 22: West Ham (a). Apr 5: Chelsea (a). Apr 12: Birmingham (a). Apr 19: West Brom (h). Apr 21: Man City (a). Apr 26: Newcastle (h). May 3: Aston Villa (a). May 11: Arsenal (h). Sad to say, I don't think they can do it. Mathematics aside, they just don't have the spirit, momentum, or morale. And if they do pull it off, it will be the story of the season, bigger than whoever turns out to be champions!