Gav says…
What this team has collectively managed to achieve over the last two years is nothing short of amazing.
They’ve brought me and countless other Sunderland supporters a raft of happy memories that we’ll never forget, from the drama of last season’s playoffs to beating Newcastle twice this season and being the last team in the country to lose a home game – it’s been a truly amazing twelve or so months in particular.
That said, even after an unbelievable campaign where we’ve never been at threat of struggle,
the journey doesn’t have to end yet.
Three cup finals. Three massive games against established giants of the English game. That’s what stands in the way of this team achieving something that no other Sunderland side in history has managed to do: qualifying for European competition via their league finish.
We need to go into this run of games and, in particular, this game on Saturday with the mentality that everything is on the line. We’ve won some amazing home games this season, but none would feel better than taking three points off Manchester United and keeping the dream alive that we could go on to finish in the top eight.
As it stands, we’re just three points off Brighton.
Yes, there’s massive clutch of teams involved in this race and yes, we’ll need results to go in our favour elsewhere, but the games against Everton and Chelsea could be six-pointers if we get things right at the weekend.
Haway, Lads. Let’s not give up on the dream yet.
Let’s turn what’s been a great season into an absolutely unbelievable one, and if by the end of it all, we don’t achieve it but we can sit back and say we gave it our all, we can at least be proud that we did our best.
Alex Charlton says…
To the Lads…
What a season you’ve given us. After the magic of the playoffs, I couldn’t have foreseen how we would be in the position we are in and to be challenging for Europe, but I’ve learnt that this team is capable of anything.
The last few months have been a mixed bag and whilst there have been some poor results, there have been away victories at Newcastle and Leeds where you stepped up in the big moments — and I expect nothing less during the remaining three matches.
Yes, you’re going to be up against it in order to take points from Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea, but you’ve upset almost all of the big boys at some point this season and I believe you can do it again.
Just remember the carrot at the end. Whatever happens, I’ll be proud of what you’ve achieved and will remember this season forever, but one last push could take us to a place I never thought we’d reach.
John Wilson says…
The psychological aspect of a team’s performance always fascinates me.
It’s games where the whole team is “up for it” when real and genuine blood and thunder appears. That extra 1% of speed and determination is what makes the difference in games and the best example of this will always be last season’s playoff games, after a five-game run of defeats.
The Lads — as Régis Le Bris has eluded to recently — didn’t try to lose.
They wanted to win, but in high level competition, it’s that extra 1% that can become critical. More recently, we’ve seen Aston Villa capitulate at home to Spurs as their focus was certainly on a European semi-final, whereas Spurs were fully focused on winning three points.
The point is that the players will already sense whether there’s a total and united belief in what can be achieved regarding Europe next season.
Nottingham Forest was a shock, but perhaps Forest’s desire for the three points trumped our desire to get into the top eight. Likewise, it was difficult to see where our heads were at versus Wolves, because of ‘Hairgate’, but it was a promising showing.
In the normal run of a league programme, it’s games at home to the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea that often fire the imagination. So we can expect two high-energy final home games of the season and I think we’ll get something out of them. European football is an aim for all footballers, so nobody should need any rallying cries.
Much more importantly, it’s whether the team is fired up as a collective for this three-game push.
I think they are. Having three top teams to play is a help, not a hindrance, and they’ll want to finish on a high regardless. We’re about to find out.
Malc Dugdale says…
I’d just tell the lads to relax, to concentrate on doing their jobs to the best of their ability, to follow the advice and tactics from the coach, and give it their absolute best shot.
You’re a proven Premier League footballer. Only a very small crop of players can say that and you’re among them. Let that sink in.
The above directions are what they’ve done all season, and that’s why we were almost safe by February and mathematically safe with a few games to go. We couldn’t have dreamed of that last summer. It’s been massive.
It would be easy for the Lads to allow the pressure of these last few games to get to them, and with that any chances of a flirt with Europe could crash around them. But if they stay focused, grounded and professional and play great football like they’ve all season (albeit with the odd blip, which is to be expected from a club in our position) that’s all we can ask.
Go out with pride, passion, and strong performances. You never know where you may be next season, so go for it, enjoy it and thank you…whatever happens, thank you all.
It’s been emotional. Again.
