They had to lose McGeady because of the wages he was on. He chose Sunderland over PNE who he was on loan at, at the time even though Sunderland were in freefall.
Sunderland ‘Til I Die | Season 3 on Netflix on 13th February
- Thread starter Buchan
- Start date
Well who knows what kind of deal producers of the show had with the owners. Maybe the manager didn't want cameras around players all the time and I don't think that's a bad decision.
Show would have been better of course but maybe the atmosphere in the club wouldn't.
Still I think the show was good and it's a shame the producers don't have any plans for future seasons.
The club is for sale (40 million supposedly), seems like a good investment for some billionaire out there, considering they still considered one of the 20 biggest clubs in England. I'd much rather pay the 40 for Sunderland than the 150 plus for some shit MLS team and I live in the United States (unluckily).
I couldn't believe they have Frankie (minus the Heartstrings) working as the stadium announcer 
That's a steal when you look at their ground, training facilities and fanbase. A savvy owner who can sort the football side out could make some good money.
I’m pretty sure that’s what the current owners idea was. Get them back up and make a quick profit.
I don't see a problem with that, as long as they sell the club to somebody who wants to continue building it back to where it should be. Besides the big six in the Premier League, Sunderland get more publicity in the United States than probably anybody else. Still looks like a good deal to me, if I was a billionaire.
Yeah Maja was excellent for them in first half of the season. That said Will Grigg is more than proven in league one, 20 goals for Walsall in 12/13, 20 for Milton Keynes in 14/15, 25 for Wigan in 15/16 and 19 for them in 17/18.
Have no idea why he's struggled so much at Sunderland, are his knees shot or something as he's only 28. They also have Charlie Wyke who scored decent amount for Bradford at this level but hasn't come close to same at Sunderland. Their midfield is just full of runners really.
Last season they seemed to draw half their games 1-1 which stopped them getting top 2.
Binge watched the both seasons over the weekend, great insight really into what goes on a club. Just thinking of the quality material Ed would come up with if we had a show as well.
Genuinely felt bad for some of their supporters during season two though, they must hate Wembley after those two results.
Genuinely felt bad for some of their supporters during season two though, they must hate Wembley after those two results.
The squad they had last season should've walked league 1. You think someone like McGeady is a typical league 1 player?
Even a reduced budget is still miles more than what likes of Oxford, Fleetwod and Wycombe have (all above them this season).I was surprised they ditched Jack Ross so early in the season, guess that was fan pressure. Phil Parkinson has promotions from league one but very much a long ball merchant and don't think his style of play has engaged SOL at all.
Who knows what the future holds. Man. City were like this 20 years ago. Sheffield United were in this exact position just four years ago.
Yeah it's interesting. Sunderland already has fantastic stadium and training ground so you don't need to pay towards that like say Everton with Moshiri.
Ultimately seems like location is a turn off (Sunderland is a dump after all) whereas Manchester was known worldwide which attracted Abu Dhabi and London clubs go without saying.
Probably same for Newcastle although Mike Ashley wants a ridiculous price for them.
This scene
Some of the shit this guy comes out with was hilarious, he just didn't fit in at all with the people of Sunderland. Comes across as bit of knob really.
He comes across as somebody that wants to run a successful business and not rely on sentimentality.
Definitely true, but in the first few scenes he comes across as a hybrid David Brent and sweary the Thick of It character. That techno music scene is incredible stuff.
You still need emotional intelligence and the ability to bring staff on a journey with you. Based on what we saw in S2, Methven seemed incapable of rallying staff, constantly deriding their efforts and belittling them. Football clubs can’t really be run like traditional businesses and require you to really get under the skin culturally. He clearly wasn’t a good fit for that part of the world.
I think the owners should only get limited stick when it’s all said and done though. They got the business side of things on a more even footing, and then lost out on two Wembley showpiece occasions in a last gasp manner. The blame lies with management and players in that scenario.
Yes. Every time he got involved his decision-making was too emotional and lacking in strategic and evidence-based thinking. Ross nailed his flaws at the close of the January transfer window. Donald just came across as a fan playing FM.
The Will Grigg signing was a classic example of where Utd went wrong under Moyes, Van Gaal & Jose
It's tempting to think you can just bring in 'quick fixes' who've performed well in other teams but in reality I feel that hardly ever works, especially as players creep towards their 30s
Think about what £4m could have bought Sunderland if they had shopped around in League One and League 2 for younger players.
Also, genuinely don't understand why Sunderland and Newcastle seem to struggle to produce top talent. Between those two and Middlesbrough they have a monopoly on a huge geographic area with a population that are absolutely football mad. Look at the players to come out of Manchester in the last few seasons!
Rashford, Foden, Brandon Williams, Axel Tuanzebe, Scott McTominay, Dean Henderson and Mason Greenwood spring to mind immediately. Imagine just two players of their standard coming through the Academy at Sunderland. All of these players where born or raised from a very young age in Manchester or the surrounding areas. They weren't bought in or poached from other regions. So why can't Sunderland do the same?
It's tempting to think you can just bring in 'quick fixes' who've performed well in other teams but in reality I feel that hardly ever works, especially as players creep towards their 30s
Think about what £4m could have bought Sunderland if they had shopped around in League One and League 2 for younger players.
Also, genuinely don't understand why Sunderland and Newcastle seem to struggle to produce top talent. Between those two and Middlesbrough they have a monopoly on a huge geographic area with a population that are absolutely football mad. Look at the players to come out of Manchester in the last few seasons!
Rashford, Foden, Brandon Williams, Axel Tuanzebe, Scott McTominay, Dean Henderson and Mason Greenwood spring to mind immediately. Imagine just two players of their standard coming through the Academy at Sunderland. All of these players where born or raised from a very young age in Manchester or the surrounding areas. They weren't bought in or poached from other regions. So why can't Sunderland do the same?
Surely in terms of attendance figures the vast majority of the reasoning for fans coming or not is if the team is performing on the pitch?
Also that Methaven wnker is very quick to be a total ass to employers lower In the chain than him, but is quiet as a mouse when the chairman spends 3 million on dross.
Also that Methaven wnker is very quick to be a total ass to employers lower In the chain than him, but is quiet as a mouse when the chairman spends 3 million on dross.
Reading around the Maja situation A bit, there's talk he's trousering 57k a week at Bordeaux!
It's pretty clear his agent was always taking him abroad and Sunderland would have had to make an insane offer to keep him.
I think that too. Portsmouth are doing similar. In league two for and then promoted and straight away making a noise in league one.
Makes my boys Wycombe's season look even more impressive, leading the table for most of the season and although currently in 8th, are one game in hand off 2nd/3rd
Henderson and Pickford came through and both play for England so that's not a bad ratio. Boro also produced loads in last 15 years. Newcastle don't see to bring that many through although Longstaff brothers are regulars this season.
Generally how office environment works...
Tbf, he was trying to get some performance out of the back staff who did three fifths of feck all
Pickford and Henderson in 10yrs+ isn’t really enough for such a massive geographical area with such a huge captive audience
You would think there would be at least a minimum of three PL standard players a year coming through across the three clubs
Just watched the Will Grigg negotiations episodes.
1m starting bid, 1.25 tops, then suddenly it's 3 rising to 4?!
They never learn at that club.
1m starting bid, 1.25 tops, then suddenly it's 3 rising to 4?!
They never learn at that club.
If the selling club know you need a striker then there isn't much you can do.
I know people will prove this wrong, but defences win games, forwards win leagues, they imo say to maja if we get up, we will give you a million and then give us first option on next contract
That was nuts. Donald just got caught up in the emotion of it all. Doing those radio interviews didn't seem befitting of an owner either. Seemed to be the exact opposite of Ellis Short who was totally uninvolved in season 1.
So true. There was that scene where he had the pretty girl in marketing go fetch him a beer. A little later we see her packing her shit up. Stuff like that doesn't go unnoticed from employees.
Seemingly doing it all from Oxford struck me as a poor arrangement too.
Amazed to see Richard Hill, pop up. I last heard of him when he was Wycombe's assistant manager in about 97, before Gregory left for Villa, and didn't dream of taking him there!
How is he involved in a team like Sunderland? His role seemed to be just pouring negativity over Donald.
That radio interview was car crash stuff. A classic example of when an executive staying silent would have been infinitely better. It's not always best to front up and speak to the fans. If I recall correctly, Donald was talking about Grigg and his lack of goals and bad fit for the team only a few weeks after signing him. Talk about piling pressure on a record signing.
Seeing her got fired was the most pleasing thing about the whole show. What a negative and useless gal.
Finished bingeing this just now, really liked it overall.
Charlie Methven looks like a bit of a smug cnut, doesn't he?!
Charlie Methven looks like a bit of a smug cnut, doesn't he?!
I'd have sacked her myself for that pathetic slack response she gave about getting the crowd attendance. Something like 'sure whatever happens'
Negative because her prick boss was telling her to get him a beer? Feck that.
Also, this show must be like a sitcom for Newcastle fans.
If Red Bull bought this club, they can do it better. Interesting to see how they do it in England, even this show would be great when the RB philosophy raise them to a title cotender in 5 years.
No but she had a negative attitude toward any new idea. She was the typical employee that hates change and wants everything to stay the same, even if it damages the company.
Can’t wait to watch Sunderland Till I Die.
“Sunderland is a massive footballing city. The losing stops here.”
“Ooon the riiiiver wh....” *SKIP INTRO*
“Oh I cannae believe we’ve lost again like”
Saw it on Twitter made me laugh
“Sunderland is a massive footballing city. The losing stops here.”
“Ooon the riiiiver wh....” *SKIP INTRO*
“Oh I cannae believe we’ve lost again like”
Saw it on Twitter made me laugh
Without attempting to derail the thread, I’ve always wondered why Red Bull never plunged into the English football market. Are lesser clubs here too expensive to purchase (comparatively to lesser teams on the continent) or is it too competitive to scout and recruit the talent early here as all the top clubs are so well represented in every area of the country now?
I’d love to see a Red Bull model plough through the leagues and attempt to be a major Premier League force. Sunderland, as you say, could be a decent vehicle for that idea. (Leeds and Forest would be two other massive clubs susceptible to a similar project.)
She didn't get fired though. She still works at the club just in a different role.
I thought she was fit as feck too so i'd have kept her around.