Sunderland - fan's 2008/09 Premier League preview
Wednesday, 06 Aug 2008 15:40
Sunderland - fan's 2008/09 Premier League preview and predictions
A supporter's views and expectations for the 2008/09 season.
Last season
Premier League: 15th - P 38 W 11 D 6 L 21 GF 36 GA 59 GD -23 PTS 39
FA Cup: Third round - lost 0-3 to Wigan
League Cup: Second round - lost 3-0 to Luton
The manager
If Niall Quinn's decision to appoint Roy Keane looked a gamble at the time, it now appears to have been a masterstroke. The Irishman won the respect of the Sunderland faithful initially by steering the Black Cats back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, and then by ensuring they stayed up with something to spare.
Keane's aim now is to push on and transform the Wearside club from relegation battlers into top-ten challengers. A tall ask, you might say, but as is becoming increasingly apparent Roy Keane doesn't really do failure.
Chances of managerial change?
Some supporters have expressed concern about the fact that Roy Keane's contract only runs until the end of the season, but chairman Niall Quinn is confident that his man will be in charge at the beginning of the 2009/10 season and beyond.
"Roy is not going to sign a new contract because he hasn't been offered one yet," Quinn said in a radio interview recently.
"The transfer window closing will probably be the time to get ourselves into that situation and get our way forward to making an announcement later on in the year."
Keano is also relaxed about the situation - and has insisted he is more concerned with the signing of new players than his own position. This long-term thinking suggests he'll be sticking around at the Stadium of Light for a while yet.
The players
Exits
None of the five players to have left the club over the summer made a significant impact on the first team last season, making just a handful of Premier League appearances between them. However, the squad last year wasn't especially big and they will therefore need to be replaced - hopefully with players of greater quality.
New arrivals
With Nick Colgan brought in to provide goalkeeping competition for Craig Gordon and Darren Ward (reports suggest Marton Fulop is on his way out through the revolving door as well) and David Meyler presumably one for the future, the arrivals of Pascal Chimbonda, Teemu Tainio, El-Hadji Diouf and Steed Malbranque are the most noteworthy.
All four look to be an improvement on what Sunderland had last season, with Malbranque in particular looking like a quality signing given that he adds much-needed craft. Chimbonda will also be an asset providing he improves his attitude as right-back was a real weakness last season, and the versatile Tainio will surely be used to beef up the midfield rather than in defence, where he was often deployed by Spurs.
Diouf, meanwhile, has already endeared himself to Wearsiders after an encouraging performance in the preseason friendly against Ajax. Crucially, all four players are comfortable with the ball at their feet - which will hopefully result in Sunderland keeping possession more easily than they did last term.
Needs
While the quality of the new signings so far is not in doubt, there are still one or two worrying gaps that need filling before the start of the new season.
This prognosis has been backed up by none other than Marco van Basten, the new Ajax manager. While praising Sunderland's efforts against his side, Van Basten inadvertently put the boot in by suggesting they have a "few good players". This, of course, means they have a few average players as well - and with Kenwyne Jones tipped to be absent for the first few months of the season, a target man is desperately needed to play with Diouf up front.
Louis Saha has been mentioned, and would be most welcome as long as he is over the injuries that have plagued him for, well, his entire career.
A central defender or two would also be handy given the return of Jonny Evans to Manchester United and an injury to Paul McShane.
The fanbase
All is well in Sunderland - the board appear to have money to spend, Niall Quinn is one of the most popular chairmen around, very few people would dare to criticise manager Roy Keane and although some might have doubted the advisability of signing the notoriously temperamental Diouf, Keano is confident that the player can win them over with his performances on the pitch.
Perhaps the biggest plus, though, is that while Sunderland appear to be going places local rivals Newcastle United look set for another season of crushing disappointment and Middlesbrough, while improving, don't appear to be faring too much better.
Given the position of the club just two years ago, times are undoubtedly good.
Prediction for 2008/09
Midtable mediocrity.
If Keane manages to get the three players in he says he needs, there is every chance that Sunderland will not only stay up for a second year but will be firmly entrenched in the heady heights of midtable come May next year. Failure to do so, however, and it could be another year of scrapping for survival for the Black Cats.
Either way, Sunderland should have enough quality to stay in the Premier League - and given the club's recent history that should be enough to appease the fans.
Tim Lesnik