A YEAR ON THE WEAR:Defeat to their arch-rivals Newcastle two weeks ago is a cause of a lot of introspection for Sunderland supporters, writes Michael Walker
PASSIONATE, SOMETIMES beyond rational explanation; demanding, even when things appear to be on the upturn; volatile, seemingly always on the brink: perhaps there are reasons why Wearside and Roy Keane have taken to each other.
At this stage of the season, after what was achieved last Saturday at home to Middlesbrough - which was no less than Premier League safety and Step Two of Niall Quinn and Keane's five steps to the top - Sunderland's often depressed supporters should be basking in the glimpse of sunshine that has come their way. Rewind 24 months for example and 28,000 of them were turning up to watch a team already relegated with the lowest points total in Premier League history. So what Quinn and Keane have managed to do since is remarkable.
There is widespread Wearside respect and satisfaction about that. Yet, not too far under the surface, the events of two weeks ago are causing much more introspection than the nature of the triumphant journey from two years ago. Why? "At least in the 15-point season when we lost 3-2 at St James' Park, we played really well, we didn't go home feeling humiliated," said Martyn McFadden, editor of the fanzine, A Love Supreme.
"We have achieved everything we set out to do this season, yes, and that's great, but this isn't Wigan or Fulham, or Chelsea with their cappuccinos, this is Sunderland Football Club and 46,000 do not turn up to watch a team in the relegation zone for most of the season because it is not an important part of their lives. This is massive to people here and in the biggest game of the season we got our worst performance under Roy Keane. It was a non-performance. A lot of Irish people at the club underestimated the hatred of Newcastle."
McFadden was speaking yesterday, 13 days after defeat at Newcastle, six after victory over Middlesbrough. Both games were for three points and the three won in the last minute (again) against Boro meant for the first time in Sunderland's history they had bounced back from relegation at the first attempt and stayed up the following season. Under Keane the club has made a bit of history.
McFadden was accepting of that. He, along with the thousands who read the fanzine and its website, can see the bigger picture. What they want more than anything - as their huge and venomous response post-Newcastle showed - is for Keane to see the smaller one.
"I'd rather lose 10-0 to Boro and beat Newcastle 1-0," McFadden added, placing local rivalry in perspective.
Such frictions could make grown men fractious, and Keane has not been chuffed with the Newcastle reaction from fans or press. But parochial frustrations do not preclude clear thinking about Sunderland's development these past two years and McFadden's views on the Newcastle game, the state of the Sunderland team and the future are without seams. He could have been Keane himself when he said: "Now it's all about pushing on. What Keane needs is a captain in the middle of the park. Remember what Keane was like in Manchester derbies? Alf-Inge Haaland? Mental. That's what we want, unfortunately you can't clone Roy Keane the player.
"Dean Whitehead is the captain and don't get me wrong, he's a great bloke and everything, but we've seen it before, he's better without the captaincy. He should've been right-back in the derby."
Pushing on, needless to say, is a bit easier said than done. Sunderland saw last summer that even with a globally recognised figure as manager, a huge fanbase and financial stability, that attracting players is as hard as winning points.
The competition is intense and having said last summer that wages were not such a factor in transfer market disappointments, Keane remarked yesterday that it is an issue Sunderland the club will have to get to grips with.
Otherwise they might be treading water more than pushing on. Fans will be pleased to note the clubs that Keane compared Sunderland to.
"I know for a fact we pay nowhere near what teams near here pay, nowhere near," Keane said. "I am not sure we have lost out on players because of the wage structure and I would not say it has cost me, but over the last 15-20 years players have gone to other clubs in the area because of their wage structure.
"Look at players who have been at Newcastle and Middlesbrough over the last few years. I don't think Michael Owen is getting twenty grand a week, I am pretty sure he is not. I don't think Mendieta or Juninho were and I am sure Boksic was getting decent wages (at Boro)?
"If you want the top players, you have to pay them. We want to try and be in that market but we know it is going to be tough. I spoke to one or two players who just didn't want to come to Sunderland, they want the big packages and the big players want to go and compete at the highest level.
"We have not been able to do that for a few years, we have been chasing our tails, but that is what we have to try to change."
Mido was one of those who chose Boro over Sunderland last August - presumably in part because of wages - while personal finance was also part of David Nugent's decision to join Portsmouth.
Keane was almost jaunty yesterday - the chase for new recruits must not have begun in earnest - and was even prepared to dip his toes into a conversation about the concept of success. There is pleasure and pride as Sunderland head to Bolton today, safe.
But among the 3,500 fans travelling, there is also restlessness. It is stirred by the memory of St James' Park.
Pushing on can be difficult.
