New season of Sunderland Til I Die out today, should be a good watch!
Only seen the first episode but Luke O'Nein features quite a lot. Interesting that when they show the new signing he is the only one which is an 'undisclosed' fee.
Having just watched episode one, a shallow, wholly unfounded, observation:
The owner and business partner of Sunderland, while obviously committed to the business of sorting out the club - I don't mean to be horrible - come across to me as a bit detached from the reality of being a fan while not recognising that as being so.
I absolutely recognise that this is a very quickfire, possibly unfair, judgement but I can't stand the obvious lie of the posh-sounding fellow - Charlie M.? - when he claims early on to know of the passion of the typical supporter, or something similar. By comparison, I appreciate the earthy sincerity of Rob Couhig in his utterances. He expresses enthusiasm and positivity and identifies with the supporters but doesn't claim to be something he isn't and is clear about his motivation for buying the club.
This, I suppose, is really an expression of fondness for the apparent character of our owner, and certainly not meant to be a meaningful criticism of the Sunderland chaps, rather than a considered judgement. Hope it comes across as such.
I'm amazed they left out our game, with all it's late drama. Did it make Sunderland and their fans look too bad, and not fit the narrative? I know we are Wycombe fans, but that ending was TV worthy (if heartbreaking for us).
Guess it wasn’t featured for a couple of reasons that I can think of:
1) timing was unfortunate as it was around the time they got to the FLT final which got a whole episode
2) wouldn’t fit the narrative that the supporters are all salt of the earth, football is all they have, hard done by northerners
Overall not as good as the first series but still some decent insight. The financials are ridiculous (although not really a surprise) which highlights the level of our achievements again. Luke is the individual player who gets the most airtime which is nice to see.
The Charlie bloke which @HCBlue mentioned seems a pretty decisive, hard nosed businessman character who came in to achieve something with single minded determination who isn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers. Sounds a bit familiar...
Apparently a brawl from a game against Portsmouth made it in? Possibly in the play-off semis? Agree that the behaviour of some of their fans (ripping out seats) wouldn't fit the (in my opinion quite cringeworthy) narrative.
@Shev said: @Wendoverman - we were robbed of a deserved win (much needed too) by an injury time equalizer after Rocky spilled a shot.
Ahh...I thought the rumble was after the equaliser but yes i see what you mean. I forgot we gifted them the draw. Sadly I seem to recall it was one of their very few shots on target as well wasn't it?
Ive watched three episodes and they seem to only mention wins and no sign of the endless procession of draws that i seem to recall. I notice they showed their goal up north but not ours.
@Shev said: @Wendoverman - we were robbed of a deserved win (much needed too) by an injury time equalizer after Rocky spilled a shot.
Ahh...I thought the rumble was after the equaliser but yes i see what you mean. I forgot we gifted them the draw. Sadly I seem to recall it was one of their very few shots on target as well wasn't it?
You're right - it went equalizer, handbags, ending, all in injury time!
I'm with @HCblue on this one. That Charlie guy, (for some illogical reason), I took an instant dislike to. Got to admit any bloke wearing pastel coloured chinos just sends me into a shudder as I can't help but remember the "rugger buggers" & the damage that followed to our support base. I really can't imagine him "gelling" with the staff or supporters given the "earthy" nature of the natives? I spent quite a bit of time in Sunderland, (had a mate who was skipper of the side in the Roker Park & Vaux brewery days. I thoroughly enjoyed the area and people,, Charles stands out like a pork chop at a Jewish wedding ceremony in that environment.
They really are two contrasting sides of Oxfordshire aren't they - Stewart has a local twang, used to stand on the terraces at the Manor Ground and seems down to earth but still a shrewd businessman.
Charlie seems pompous, out of place, unable to motivate and only mostly alienate his staff
Although I find it extremely hard to believe and agree that he comes across as pompous - with a slight touch of David Brent about him - it turns out Methven is a lifelong Oxford fan and was (and maybe still is) seemingly quite heavily involved in their fan and community trusts. He and Donald tried to buy the club in 2014 as well.
Did I hear correctly that "chino man" titled himself as a former journalist & media/communications guru? I would certainly agree with @OxfordBlue that he alienates his staff & is in effect a bully. Man management lessons required from Mr Ainsworth I feel. Charlie boy used the "F" word in meetings with his female staff far too often. Surely, being a marketing & comms guy, he could find better ways of engaging with the ladies & general staff?
Donald, (I have to wonder), may not be as good as he thinks, when he went against the views/advice of the football manager & Richard Hill, (was it our Richard Hill?), and paid three times their valuation of Will Gregg. A suicidal amount for a club that was still losing huge amounts each week & a gamble that ultimately didn't pay off. Parkinson must be under huge pressure to get them promoted & if the EFL "null & void the season, heaven help those Black Cats. Wonder if they still have the cryogenic room?
I met Richard Hill many years ago at Flackwell Heath FC, he was one of the most objectionable humans I've ever come across.
When he returned under John Gregory, I soon realised he hadnt changed.
Did he not leave in a sulk, when Gregory went to Villa and they promoted Smilie to the caretaker role instead of him ?
I noted the part in episode one where they mentioned making Sunderland a tough place to visit making it feel intimidating for the opposition.
Could this be why they tried to usher our team in through a side entrance only for Ainsworth to point blank refuse and tell them to open the main doors?
I find it quite surprising that Ellis Short bought the club and then just paid up for every expenditure requested (as is suggested) though rich it does not sound like he was a very good businessman.
I think I was indeed unfair to be so cynical about the footballing bona fides of the two owner chaps, who I actively quite liked in the second episode.
I stand by my previous ear-hagiography of our owner. Perhaps the issue is the format of this documentary, which seeks to dramatise/ sensationalise, for obvious reasons.
So here's a question: If a similar documentary was to be made of an EFL club OTHER than Wycombe, who would you prefer to see, and why?
For me, it would either be Accrington, for their plucky underdog charm, or QPR, for the guaranteed drama of cycling through managers, and the opportunity of seeing more of Eze.
This season at Bury would make an interesting documentary. I remember watching prior to its expulsion the then owner saying he didn’t like football or know that Bury had a football club when he bought them.
Comments
Also interesting that he says he'd "just won League Two". I can't wait for the Battle of Adams Park, penultimate episode I suspect.
Dammit, apparently it's not on there
No battle of Adams Park? How can it possibly be a complete record without the major event of their non-promotion season?
I'm not sure what's happened to the sound, but here it is for anyone who wants to relive it.
Having just watched episode one, a shallow, wholly unfounded, observation:
The owner and business partner of Sunderland, while obviously committed to the business of sorting out the club - I don't mean to be horrible - come across to me as a bit detached from the reality of being a fan while not recognising that as being so.
I absolutely recognise that this is a very quickfire, possibly unfair, judgement but I can't stand the obvious lie of the posh-sounding fellow - Charlie M.? - when he claims early on to know of the passion of the typical supporter, or something similar. By comparison, I appreciate the earthy sincerity of Rob Couhig in his utterances. He expresses enthusiasm and positivity and identifies with the supporters but doesn't claim to be something he isn't and is clear about his motivation for buying the club.
This, I suppose, is really an expression of fondness for the apparent character of our owner, and certainly not meant to be a meaningful criticism of the Sunderland chaps, rather than a considered judgement. Hope it comes across as such.
I'm amazed they left out our game, with all it's late drama. Did it make Sunderland and their fans look too bad, and not fit the narrative? I know we are Wycombe fans, but that ending was TV worthy (if heartbreaking for us).
Why heart-breaking for us @Shev? A decent draw and then a punch-up as I recall. Which we also drew.
@Wendoverman - we were robbed of a deserved win (much needed too) by an injury time equalizer after Rocky spilled a shot.
Watching that again I had forgotten just how big ‘Big Yves’ was / is. Kinda miss him, not sure why!
Guess it wasn’t featured for a couple of reasons that I can think of:
1) timing was unfortunate as it was around the time they got to the FLT final which got a whole episode
2) wouldn’t fit the narrative that the supporters are all salt of the earth, football is all they have, hard done by northerners
Overall not as good as the first series but still some decent insight. The financials are ridiculous (although not really a surprise) which highlights the level of our achievements again. Luke is the individual player who gets the most airtime which is nice to see.
The Charlie bloke which @HCBlue mentioned seems a pretty decisive, hard nosed businessman character who came in to achieve something with single minded determination who isn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers. Sounds a bit familiar...
Apparently a brawl from a game against Portsmouth made it in? Possibly in the play-off semis? Agree that the behaviour of some of their fans (ripping out seats) wouldn't fit the (in my opinion quite cringeworthy) narrative.
Sunderland were embarrassed that day. Backed off up the touchline by our bench and then chased down the tunnel by Nathan Tyson
Our lads stood together and backed up their mates and defended their club that day. I could not have been prouder
Ahh...I thought the rumble was after the equaliser but yes i see what you mean. I forgot we gifted them the draw. Sadly I seem to recall it was one of their very few shots on target as well wasn't it?
Ive watched three episodes and they seem to only mention wins and no sign of the endless procession of draws that i seem to recall. I notice they showed their goal up north but not ours.
You're right - it went equalizer, handbags, ending, all in injury time!
I'm with @HCblue on this one. That Charlie guy, (for some illogical reason), I took an instant dislike to. Got to admit any bloke wearing pastel coloured chinos just sends me into a shudder as I can't help but remember the "rugger buggers" & the damage that followed to our support base. I really can't imagine him "gelling" with the staff or supporters given the "earthy" nature of the natives? I spent quite a bit of time in Sunderland, (had a mate who was skipper of the side in the Roker Park & Vaux brewery days. I thoroughly enjoyed the area and people,, Charles stands out like a pork chop at a Jewish wedding ceremony in that environment.
I can accept the fat fella from Oxford gets it, but do not believe the marketing fella has ever watched a game of football for pleasure in his life.
They really are two contrasting sides of Oxfordshire aren't they - Stewart has a local twang, used to stand on the terraces at the Manor Ground and seems down to earth but still a shrewd businessman.
Charlie seems pompous, out of place, unable to motivate and only mostly alienate his staff
Although I find it extremely hard to believe and agree that he comes across as pompous - with a slight touch of David Brent about him - it turns out Methven is a lifelong Oxford fan and was (and maybe still is) seemingly quite heavily involved in their fan and community trusts. He and Donald tried to buy the club in 2014 as well.
Did I hear correctly that "chino man" titled himself as a former journalist & media/communications guru? I would certainly agree with @OxfordBlue that he alienates his staff & is in effect a bully. Man management lessons required from Mr Ainsworth I feel. Charlie boy used the "F" word in meetings with his female staff far too often. Surely, being a marketing & comms guy, he could find better ways of engaging with the ladies & general staff?
Donald, (I have to wonder), may not be as good as he thinks, when he went against the views/advice of the football manager & Richard Hill, (was it our Richard Hill?), and paid three times their valuation of Will Gregg. A suicidal amount for a club that was still losing huge amounts each week & a gamble that ultimately didn't pay off. Parkinson must be under huge pressure to get them promoted & if the EFL "null & void the season, heaven help those Black Cats. Wonder if they still have the cryogenic room?
Not sure the gender of staff is relevant to whether you should swear in meetings.
I met Richard Hill many years ago at Flackwell Heath FC, he was one of the most objectionable humans I've ever come across.
When he returned under John Gregory, I soon realised he hadnt changed.
Did he not leave in a sulk, when Gregory went to Villa and they promoted Smilie to the caretaker role instead of him ?
I noted the part in episode one where they mentioned making Sunderland a tough place to visit making it feel intimidating for the opposition.
Could this be why they tried to usher our team in through a side entrance only for Ainsworth to point blank refuse and tell them to open the main doors?
@EwanHoosaami Is it a programme that you would even want your wife or servants to read?
I find it quite surprising that Ellis Short bought the club and then just paid up for every expenditure requested (as is suggested) though rich it does not sound like he was a very good businessman.
True, but for me it's much less acceptable in front of the ladies. Maybe I'm just old fashioned?
A quick footnote to my post of y'day.
I think I was indeed unfair to be so cynical about the footballing bona fides of the two owner chaps, who I actively quite liked in the second episode.
I stand by my previous ear-hagiography of our owner. Perhaps the issue is the format of this documentary, which seeks to dramatise/ sensationalise, for obvious reasons.
So here's a question: If a similar documentary was to be made of an EFL club OTHER than Wycombe, who would you prefer to see, and why?
For me, it would either be Accrington, for their plucky underdog charm, or QPR, for the guaranteed drama of cycling through managers, and the opportunity of seeing more of Eze.
Brentford - such a fascinating example of how to run a club. Or Plymouth during a bad season.
This season at Bury would make an interesting documentary. I remember watching prior to its expulsion the then owner saying he didn’t like football or know that Bury had a football club when he bought them.