hithere

At present it would be your side with Fletcher if he's fit.

Played against Ryan Noble once, ex Sunderland, now at Burnley. He killed us. My dad's told me a couple of stories of ex pro's he's played with. He had the same group of friends as Brian Marwood who only made it as a professional as he was a massive kiss-arse apparently and who used to take his ball home in a huff if he got beat at 'gatesy' He also tells a story of when John Oster ex Sunderland, Everton etc. turned up with one of his mates to make up the numbers of a weekly 7-a-side game. He reckons the same John Oster who looks about eight stone wet through and whom many of the lads playing would call worse than shite when he played for Sunderland was incredibly strong, very difficult to knock off the ball, very fast and scored about 8 of his teams goals that night.

Brendan Rodgers

Out of that lot I wouldn't mind if we only kept Celustka, Ki and Colback. Possibly Larsson and Dossena if he proves his worth.

Ordinarily people live and learn, but you, you just live. I'm not saying you're stupid, but I am thinking it. Some drink from the fountain of knowledge but it looks like you just gargled. (If he shows his face again after these put-downs he's a better man than me.) Still here. Realise it's a big ask though. Just waiting for someone to post the Mackem boom/bust cycle thing now.

He has a lot of work to do. True

Didn't think it would work when I first saw it however like you say it does free up Suarez and Sturridge to work in tandem and Coutinho in for Moses when fit is a cracking front three. Good selection of centre backs to make it work as you say as well. I also think it gives Gerrard a bit of freedom to dictate play. Not good enough for the title yet though. As mentioned previously Chelsea will get the necessary results under Mourinho

Gus Poyet will keep us up

I must say I'm looking forward to seeing if our lot can actually keep the ball on the deck. Should be amusing if nowt else. Particularly O'Shea

Aye. I'm sure it had nothing to do with our piss head players whingeing to the chief executive or owt.

I think while I was at Uni Sam Jacks showed one of our games but only because Newcastle were playing the days after

Won a re-arranged game v Fulham if I remember correctly

Actually attempted to build bridges with Di Canio apparently. Hence him being made captain the other week. Have been told by various quarters he is a massive p*ss artist like. Although I wouldn't care if he performed to his capacity every week. Do you rate him Hithere? Given the chance to rewind, would you buy him again? I do. The talent is there. He just needs to be in a side where he's not the only attacking outlet. An overlapping full back would improve his performance ten fold.

Actually attempted to build bridges with Di Canio apparently. Hence him being made captain the other week. Have been told by various quarters he is a massive p*ss artist like. Although I wouldn't care if he performed to his capacity every week.

Been told it's a hardcore of Cattermole, Bardsley, Fletcher, Johnson and Wickham. Although Johnson and Cattermole were both said to have embraced Di Canio's training methods before everything turned sour.

Rotten. Di Canio's reminded me of him pretty much every day he was Sunderland boss. Me too. In terms of 'it could be worse, Phil Brown could be in charge.' Were you disappointed Di Canio went? Serious question tbw... I wouldn't say disappointed if I'm being honest. I just felt that he should have been given more time. Our players obviously missed the fact they only had to train twice a week.

Rotten. Di Canio's reminded me of him pretty much every day he was Sunderland boss. Me too. In terms of 'it could be worse, Phil Brown could be in charge.' Were you disappointed Di Canio went? Serious question tbw... I wouldn't say disappointed if I'm being honest. I just felt that he should have been given more time. Our players obviously missed the fact they only gad to train twice a week.

Rotten. Di Canio's reminded me of him pretty much every day he was Sunderland boss. Me too. In terms of 'it could be worse, Phil Brown could be in charge.'

Nar. He's from down south somewhere. His son was in the year above me at school. He also has a southern twang. Can remember him playing for Pompey possibly in the same side as Micky Quinn. I think we signed him from Portsmouth. I'm just guessing though. I was only 5 years old at the time...

Sure that Dave Kitson is an oracle on all things Sunderland

Poyet's ceiling so far is Championship play-offs. He's an average manager and an utter creep to boot. Poyet, McLeish, Pulis....... all would deliver the megalolz. His Brighton side played good football and it doesn't seem as though he takes much shit. Personally I would have preferred him over Di Canio when he was given the job.

I'd genuinely rather have Pulis Who is your preference overall Hithere? Do you think there's an outstanding candidate/option? Options are pretty slim. Out of those mentioned Poyet would be my first choice, followed by Di Matteo and then Zola.

I'd genuinely rather have Pulis

Other way around But Di Canio came in 3 months before De Fanti. Don't know the ins and outs of the whole thing but De Fanti was advising Short well before Di Canio was appointed. Just didn't have an official club title.

Other way around