I’ve got a host of gripes and groans about life in general and football in particular. Worryingly, it’s getting worse as I get older. Grumpy old man? Me? Absolutely, but to be fair, have you ever listened to The Dull Men’s Club? It’s very funny.
So, what’s come into my line of fire recently…I don’t hear you ask, as you’re probably not interested. It’s generalisations and stereotypical comments.
There’s a difference, of course. A generalisation is a broad statement based on data or observed patterns
— “Many promoted sides tend to be relegated after the first season” — whereas a stereotype is more rigid and often oversimplified and negative: “All promoted sides will struggle or be relegated after the first season”.
A stereotypical view applies a trait to everyone in the group without exception. Pundits and the media in general do this all the time, and usually, it doesn’t bother me at all.
However, when it comes to my club, my ears prick up, I’m easily riled, and I think a term having a resurgence around this is “lazy journalism”.
This concept, that implies newly-promoted clubs represent an easy three points is certainly stereotypical. Much the same as a giant-killing in the FA Cup, you can almost hear our opponents saying, “It’s only Sunderland. They got promoted via the playoffs, we can beat this lot”.
Ange Postecoglou said after Saturday’s game that “We should be beating teams like Sunderland”, and I’m assuming that by “teams like Sunderland”, he means the newly-promoted teams. At the final whistle, Sky Sports’ commentator said “It finishes Nottingham Forest 0, Sunderland 1” — with the emphasis on the ‘one’.
Of course, it happens all the time but when pundits treat us as a mere small hurdle for the opposition, it does irk me somewhat.
When the Sky team were concluding their presentation on Saturday, they announced “Guess who Sunderland have to come up against next week? Manchester United!”. They laughed, but my initial thought was “So?”
Of course Manchester United might win, but it’s a generalisation to assume they’ll turn us over and that we should be fearful. They aren’t the Utd of old and likewise, we’re not just a newly-promoted team that have little chance of getting anything at Old Trafford. We’re Sunderland — a new, strong, skillful and bonded team.
Now, the contradiction is that it’ll help us tremendously this season if other teams do view us as an easy three points, and it would be hugely advantageous if we go under the radar until next May. I think it annoys me because there’s a certain lack of respect directed towards our club but as mentioned, it’s just lazy journalism.
Another BBC Five Live pundit expressed on Saturday evening that “Although Sunderland have started well, they’re living off the excitement and energy of that Wembley win. They’re running after every ball and are just pleased to be in the Premier League — but they can’t last the whole season like that”.
There’d be an element of truth in that if it was the same squad as last year, but it isn’t! It’s full of internationally-capped players and lads with Champions League experience.
Only Trai Hume and Enzo Le Fée were in that Wembley starting line up from Saturday. We’ve bought virtually a whole new squad, and not just any old squad! This is arguably the best Sunderland AFC squad ever. Position for position, it betters the Peter Reid team, in my opinion.
The Premier League is getting stronger every season and this is almost certainly down to the amount of money that’s flooded into it from television rights.
I recently read a scathing attack on the EPL by the chairperson of La Liga – whether sour grapes or factual – and it’s another piece of writing altogether. Players in every team have to be stronger, more skillful, more adaptable, more athletic and mentally stronger than in years gone by.
I’m using the Reid team as an example because for many fans, that’s the benchmark we hope to aspire to. Gavin McCann or Granit Xhaka? Jody Craddock or Habib Diarra? Stan Varga or Nordi Mukiele? Don Hutchison or Noah Sadiki? You get my drift.
Although there are positions in the 2000/2001 team that are more debatable (Thomas Sorensen? Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips? Stefan Schwarz? Alex Rae?), as a generalisation, I’d say most Premier League teams are more advanced than they were twenty five years ago. Why wouldn’t they be?
We now have a team and a squad that can compete at the highest level — and we shouldn’t fear anyone.
Indeed, perhaps it’s ourselves as fans who have to shift our own concepts or stereotypes — “Oh don’t worry – we’ll do a Sunderland”, “We’ll go on a losing streak at some stage”, “Wait until we play Liverpool and Man City”, etc, but I’m growing in belief that it won’t be the case. I’m not saying that we’ll beat these teams by any means — I’m just saying that I think we’ll be very safe this season.
It’s been an absolute joy to follow the Lads over the last sixteen months or so.
For younger fans, these are almost uncharted waters. For older fans who can remember happier times, this is still a joyous period, filling everyone with hope and belief. Long may it last, and let’s enjoy it while we can.
