Rich

http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/Sam-Allardyce-as-you39ve-never.3660316.jp Pleased that it's over?

He'd undwhelm me more than any other name I've seen mentioned so far. Initially, at least.

Sky Sports News, by the sound of it.

He's lowered the expectations further?

That would be insanity.

I was going to say that but feared i may be tracked down and raped for such a suggestion I hold the same fears. Luckily, I don't think anyone knows where I live.

We won't see success here until we get relegated and then come back up, I'm starting to believe that more and more.

Personally, I can't remember caring less about a Premiership fixture, ever. It's meaningless, we'll get beaten, that's it.

This is the main worry. He'd get even less patience than Allardyce, I reckon. Bingo! Then we'll have pissed away some serious time and cash. But who will get more patience and is an attainable target? Unless the likes of Shearer, Keegan, Robson or Mourinho are interested/up to the job then it's going to be the same story for everyone. What needs to happen is an instant visible improvement in attitude and performance from the players, some big results against the better teams and signs that we're heading in the right direction, this becomes more imperative the less popular a managerial choice is.

This is the main worry. He'd get even less patience than Allardyce, I reckon.

Are you being dragged into potential optimism about Redknapp as well? I'm just desperate not be disappointed, personally.

8 points better off and they've only got Man Utd (a) and Chelsea (h) out of the top four left to play. We've got Man Utd (a) & (h), Arsenal (a), Liverpool (a), Chelsea (h). They've only scored 4 more goals, but have conceded 13 less, so their goal difference is +17 over ours. They've got Plymouth (h) in the FA Cup 4th Round, we've potentially got Arsenal (a). That about sums it up? (Have you looked into this already?)

Well obviously; that'll be the reason why Sam'll have gone most probably - they've got money to spend but they don't want him to spend it. But to get rid of him and give it to Harry would just be senseless. Not entirely, if they didn't believe Sam would spend it correctly. For all the positives he was apparently bringing behind the scenes, on the pitch (where it counts) we were fucking turgid for the most part. A win ratio of 33% also has to be one of the worst, if not THE worst we've had, since Keegan?

Fucking hell, Baggio is almost single-handedly making me believe in Redknapp's potential to succeed here. Maybe he could, but then maybe Allardyce could have done aswell? Now that we've cut out one 'maybe' man, why appoint another - who's probably even less likely to? Now we've sacked him we might aswell go all out and bring in someone quality. Of course Allardyce could have done, but like I said in that other thread, the full story is yet to be told on that score. If Allardyce had lost the players and the fans, for instance, then could he turn it around? I'm not advocating Redknapp ahead of the likes of Mourinho, Lippi, Scolari (if there is even a remote possibility of us getting somebody to "blow our socks off") but he might be the best we can get.

By the way, I completely agree with your post prior to my response. Very clever way of looking at it that I hadn't considered yet. Selfishly speaking though, I suppose we want the new Gaffer to be given as much support as possible. We still don't know the full extent of the reason why Allardyce had to go, whether he'd lost the players, etc. There may turn out to be a good reason why he wasn't fully backed, if the next manager is given a warchest.

Fucking hell, Baggio is almost single-handedly making me believe in Redknapp's potential to succeed here.

We have to get the best man available for the job, that's surely the way to go. Like NE5 says, it's not us who decides who the best man is though, it's Ashley and Mort and whoever their advisers/confidants are.

Yep, so do i. Which is why i'll worry if he gives all that precious money to an average manager like Harry Redknapp. I wouldn't say average. The bloke has always flown under my radar, but he seems a very well-respected man in the football world. Like Allardyce before him, I suppose I'd welcome him and hope not to be let down again. If Mort/Ashley's mindset is "I don't want to give our £100m to Sam Allardyce, no way, that idea stinks. We must give it to Redknapp, he's the man..." i'll be pretty fucking disappointed. Not half as disappointed as I'll be if Redknapp didn't get any money, either.

Not all is well down there for 'Appy 'Arry... if you believe the rags, that is. Oh, and... ££££££££.

Yep, so do i. Which is why i'll worry if he gives all that precious money to an average manager like Harry Redknapp. I wouldn't say average. The bloke has always flown under my radar, but he seems a very well-respected man in the football world. Like Allardyce before him, I suppose I'd welcome him and hope not to be let down again.

Yeah I agree.I like his 'head dance move'.I dont know why but he likes to move his head either to the right or to the left repeatedly.Whether it is some disease he's got,Im not sure,but I certainly enjoy it. :laugh:

That was a good post, but Dave is right about the Shepherd bit. We're in for another interesting few weeks here though, I have to admit that if the next manager isn't reinforced with some "proper" money (no nonsense about the cost of sacking Allardyce, etc. or hiring whoever we get) then I'll start to worry. For now I still have faith that Ashley will pour money into this club, especially when it's his own man in charge.

You'd better get used to it, I can't imagine Harry getting better looking over the next 6 months or so he'll be in charge here. By the end of his stint here I'd assume this is exactly how he'd appear, unfortunately .

Can I attend?

Redknapp blowing Mort's socks off seems laughable. That made me emit a hearty chuckle. That phrase is fantastic. Fair play to Oliver for that, at least.