With the 2015-16 Premier League starting at the weekend, RoM has spoken to rival fans about the season ahead. Pete Sixsmith from Salut Sunderland has shared his thoughts.
Scott: How did Sunderland do in 2014-15?
Pete: It was a fantastic season where we exceeded all expectations and played some scintillating football…. oh, that was the women’s team. The men’s team experienced yet another miserable campaign and we would have gone down had not Holland’s finest manager come to rescue us – just as Poyet and Di Canio did. I hope he has a better long term view than they did.
Scott: How do you expect them to do in 2015-16?
Pete: It has to be better than the last three years. I hope for a safe, boring middle of the table position – just like the one you had under David Moyes.
Scott: Who do you think will be your best player?
Pete: Jermaine Lens has created a good impression since he arrived from Dinamo Kyiv. He appears to have pace, an ability to score and boundless energy – not things we saw much of last season. Adam Johnson is with us until February at least, so he can be a big player and many of us would love to see Emmanuelle Giaccherini show us why he won so many Italian caps.
Scott: How highly do you rate Dick Advocaat?
Pete: He is a sensible and pragmatic Dutchman (sound familiar?) and he has a great record. He wanted the job and has stayed. He is not a dictator or a man who believes that he is right and everyone else is wrong like the last two. Ilike him; nice to have a manager who is older than me – although not by much.
Scott: Are you happy with your team’s business in the transfer window?
Pete: So far, so ok. Lens and Kaboul should strengthen us. Coates did well for Advocaat and Matthews is a good squad player. Selling Wickham could be a master stroke or a move that will haunt us. More need to go. Neither Bridcutt or Buckley are good enough and their protector has left. Graham runs around a lot and chases the ball but next door’s Border collie would do that for considerably less money. Fletcher is an enigma and needs to stop being one. Nobody likes enigmas.
Scott: If you could have one United player in your team, who would it be?
Pete: Januzaj will do nicely thank you. We know our place…!
Scott: Brown and O’Shea. Is this the fewest former United players you’ve had in your squad for a couple of decades??
Pete: Both Brown and particularly O’Shea have done well for us. Brown has struggled for fitness and I can’t see him playing much this year. O’Shea faces a tussle with Kaboul for a first team spot. Both are better than Mark Lynch, Terry Cooke and Liam Miller, all duds from Old Trafford. Still, we did palm David Bellion on to you.
Scott: Where do you think United will finish this season?
Pete: I have as much interest in the top four of the Premier League as David Cameron has in West Aston United. Second or third behind the world’s most objectionable club. It begins with a C and is in West London.
Scott: Who do you think will win the league?
Pete: Chelsea, as if I cared.
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