I always liked neil, he's a no nonsense, straight talker with real leadership qualities. He was a perfect fit for us at sunderland. When he left i was gutted but i had seen and heard enough of the sunderland model and alex himself to know that it wasn't as simple as greed on his part. His frustrations early in the season are the same frustrations that mowbury eventually spoke up about and lost his job for. But this interview just highlights the penny pinching at sunderland, he isnt the only one to leave over this. Stewart and pritchard can tell the same story and i hate to say it probably wont be the last unless a serious rethink about this model is considered.
Yes and as far as the SAFC "Project" (whatever that is) is concerned the SAFC board may well be cosily thinking "Long Term". For example bringing in young local talent and selling it on. A project driven by the fact that while we all wait for a "Goal scorer" to arrive. The club enjoys a 40k home fan base conjuring up at the 24 home games a revenue of (say) £20 a head of (£800k pw or £19m pa). Guaranteed income (before TV rev etc) - as long as we all keep believing. Yet they let Alex Neil down by not rewarding him for what he ACTUALLY achieved, upset him, let him go, sacked Tony Mowbray, and then brought a doylem in and had to sack him! And now all we've got is an "unknown" first team coach trying to make a name for himself. By beginning with a club record of 6 consecutive defeats....(even I could do that!)
@@robertthompson6346 I understand that this regime inherited a debt and they are balancing the books I get that, but we haven't had a recognised goal scorer for near enough two seasons, replacing Stewart with a bunch of kids who haven't kicked a ball at this level. Hiring a moron cos he was cheaper than paying the release clause of a recognised manager. I don't blame Dodds at all he is in the same position as the players, young and inexperienced and without anyone who's 'been there' to guide them through and it is showing with all these silly little mistakes that an experienced head wouldn't make... Was letting beal go after a few weeks of failure really a cheaper option than hiring an experienced manager? I don't know. I'm not saying I'm against what they're trying to do I think we've got an abundance of potential talent on the pitch and some real potential in the coaching staff but it's plain to see that the lack of guidance is chipping away at the confidence and it's showing. Long term is nothing if you refuse to nurture the now.....
It wasn’t the fact that he left, it as the way he left. While still manager of Sunderland instead of taking charge of our game he was sat in the stand watching Stoke City with their chairman.
It’s a shame he burnt his bridges at Sunderland. He was well respected from all the fans before he decided to leave us for stoke and the way he went about it.
I get that, Rich. I’m not going to argue Alex handled the exit perfectly. At the same time, it feels to me as though when managers leave without being sacked, the way they do it often seems to get scrutinised to the nth degree by the fanbase they’ve left, but when they leave having been sacked for not delivering results, few ask whether it could’ve been handled better.
@@EFLDebate I liked Alex Neil - I understand that when he arrived at the SoL he only wanted a year long contract - and said he didn't want a long contract (the usual accepted method) he would get the club some success first. AND HE GAVE US SUCCESS. So he deserved some form of reward. I don't know what the SAFC board thought about this. But he left us and remains a talented football manager.
I don't think he has burnt his bridges with Sunderland. I was one who didn't want him back on any terms but having listened to this conversation I felt looking back he did a fantastic job with the team and in this interview he has spoken very highly about Sunderland. I believe he still has unfinished business at Sunderland
SAFC never disciplined AN when he went to watch Stoke rather than manage his own team's match on the same day/same time. Not a murmur from the Sundetland hierarchy at the time, or since. They were, therefore, clearly complicit in the event. Listening to this interview, and in light of AN's recent utterances, it would not suprise me to hear he has been re-appointed as manager, and "the model" is being re-jigged.
If he wasn't happy with deal and setup he should have at least had the decency of taking charge of the Norwich game instead of just doing a runner and sitting in the stand with the Stoke chairman watching he's new team that's what got everybody's back's up. Alex Neil was well thought of at Sunderland for getting us promoted but i think he is trying soften ground for a return because it all went tits up at Stoke but i think there's no chance of that
I didn’t get that impression myself. I suspect the move had become so public that it was probably better for him to not be at the game and have the focus on the team.
Come back Alex we all make mistakes fans love ya at safc you could win them over Mowbray was well thought of even though the football went a bit sour missed amed big time this club is crying out for some one like you I remember at Wembley you couldn’t wait to get that suit off and track suit back on 🔴⚪️🌑
I always liked neil, he's a no nonsense, straight talker with real leadership qualities. He was a perfect fit for us at sunderland. When he left i was gutted but i had seen and heard enough of the sunderland model and alex himself to know that it wasn't as simple as greed on his part. His frustrations early in the season are the same frustrations that mowbury eventually spoke up about and lost his job for. But this interview just highlights the penny pinching at sunderland, he isnt the only one to leave over this. Stewart and pritchard can tell the same story and i hate to say it probably wont be the last unless a serious rethink about this model is considered.
Yes and as far as the SAFC "Project" (whatever that is) is concerned the SAFC board may well be cosily thinking "Long Term". For example bringing in young local talent and selling it on.
A project driven by the fact that while we all wait for a "Goal scorer" to arrive. The club enjoys a 40k home fan base conjuring up at the 24 home games a revenue of (say) £20 a head of (£800k pw or £19m pa). Guaranteed income (before TV rev etc) - as long as we all keep believing.
Yet they let Alex Neil down by not rewarding him for what he ACTUALLY achieved, upset him, let him go, sacked Tony Mowbray, and then brought a doylem in and had to sack him!
And now all we've got is an "unknown" first team coach trying to make a name for himself. By beginning with a club record of 6 consecutive defeats....(even I could do that!)
@@robertthompson6346 I understand that this regime inherited a debt and they are balancing the books I get that, but we haven't had a recognised goal scorer for near enough two seasons, replacing Stewart with a bunch of kids who haven't kicked a ball at this level. Hiring a moron cos he was cheaper than paying the release clause of a recognised manager. I don't blame Dodds at all he is in the same position as the players, young and inexperienced and without anyone who's 'been there' to guide them through and it is showing with all these silly little mistakes that an experienced head wouldn't make... Was letting beal go after a few weeks of failure really a cheaper option than hiring an experienced manager? I don't know. I'm not saying I'm against what they're trying to do I think we've got an abundance of potential talent on the pitch and some real potential in the coaching staff but it's plain to see that the lack of guidance is chipping away at the confidence and it's showing. Long term is nothing if you refuse to nurture the now.....
Comes across really well
Agreed, he was great
Love Alex Neil 💛💚
It wasn’t the fact that he left, it as the way he left.
While still manager of Sunderland instead of taking charge of our game he was sat in the stand watching Stoke City with their chairman.
It’s a shame he burnt his bridges at Sunderland. He was well respected from all the fans before he decided to leave us for stoke and the way he went about it.
I get that, Rich. I’m not going to argue Alex handled the exit perfectly. At the same time, it feels to me as though when managers leave without being sacked, the way they do it often seems to get scrutinised to the nth degree by the fanbase they’ve left, but when they leave having been sacked for not delivering results, few ask whether it could’ve been handled better.
@@EFLDebate I liked Alex Neil - I understand that when he arrived at the SoL he only wanted a year long contract - and said he didn't want a long contract (the usual accepted method) he would get the club some success first. AND HE GAVE US SUCCESS. So he deserved some form of reward.
I don't know what the SAFC board thought about this. But he left us and remains a talented football manager.
I don't think he has burnt his bridges with Sunderland. I was one who didn't want him back on any terms but having listened to this conversation I felt looking back he did a fantastic job with the team and in this interview he has spoken very highly about Sunderland. I believe he still has unfinished business at Sunderland
You can't blame him for leaving. He wanted a bigger club
@@philipnapier3585no comparison with Sunderland check trophy’s won stoke city great old club nowhere our size
At Hamilton Alex transformed the club.
SAFC never disciplined AN when he went to watch Stoke rather than manage his own team's match on the same day/same time. Not a murmur from the Sundetland hierarchy at the time, or since. They were, therefore, clearly complicit in the event. Listening to this interview, and in light of AN's recent utterances, it would not suprise me to hear he has been re-appointed as manager, and "the model" is being re-jigged.
If he wasn't happy with deal and setup he should have at least had the decency of taking charge of the Norwich game instead of just doing a runner and sitting in the stand with the Stoke chairman watching he's new team that's what got everybody's back's up. Alex Neil was well thought of at Sunderland for getting us promoted but i think he is trying soften ground for a return because it all went tits up at Stoke but i think there's no chance of that
I didn’t get that impression myself. I suspect the move had become so public that it was probably better for him to not be at the game and have the focus on the team.
I agree he had every reason to be pissed off@@EFLDebate
Come back Alex we all make mistakes fans love ya at safc you could win them over Mowbray was well thought of even though the football went a bit sour missed amed big time this club is crying out for some one like you I remember at Wembley you couldn’t wait to get that suit off and track suit back on 🔴⚪️🌑
😂
Just caught up with this Pod, Gab. Really great work as always! 🫡
Thank you so much ☺️
Great Pod stuff - a lot of common sense being spoken