Steve Bruce can consider himself a little unfortunate to have lost his job at Sunderland. He took the bold move of buying virtually a whole team of players in the summer but they haven’t gelled in time for the Geordie to keep his job.
But Sunderland fans will surely be over the moon with the appointment of the maestro Martin O’Neill. How many managers in world football can say that they have never been unsuccessful at a club? Jose Mourinho? Sir Alex? Harry Redknapp? Beyond that you have top coaches like Guus Hiddink, but even he has black marks against his managerial career, such as failing to get Turkey to Euro 2012.
I can’t imagine many clubs in the world that wouldn’t be happy with the appointment of the man from Northern Ireland. He’s not only one of the best motivators in the game but he also combines that with an excellent strategic mind.
From Wycombe to Leicester, from Celtic to Villa, you will struggle to find too many fans who don’t like his style of management. He makes teams play better – simple as.
So Sunderland fans can feel pretty pleased with themselves this week as they begin to embrace the idea of O’Neill. Fortunately for them, he is a lifelong Sunderland fan so, for him, it was an easy decision. After a year or so away from the game he is ready to sink his teeth into a new project and you can expect an upward trajectory for the Mackems from this point on.
Of course, O’Neill isn’t a miracle worker and the football landscape has changed since Peter Reid took Sunderland to 4th in The Premier League during his tenure. The top 6 or 7 clubs in the league have a stranglehold on those positions now so don’t expect to see Sunderland in The Champions League any time soon.
O’Neill is such a high quality manager, however, that The Europa League can now be a realistic and regular target for fans of the club. They certainly won’t be concerned with relegation if the new manager stays for any length of time.
So, Sunderland fans – rejoice! Your board have just secured one of the best coaches in world football. It should be an interesting ride from here on in.
