As a Sunderland fan can I ask blades fans what they make of chris wilder please.
Depends what you mean as 'make of', MBH. As a manager, he's transformed our club in 18 months from being regular Division One fodder to becoming established in The Championship. After a cracking start to the season (when we were briefly top!) some have got giddy and think you can just improve year-on-year which has led to some disappointment. However he's a true Blade (not the badge-kissing Warnock type) and we'll always have a place in our hearts for him.
As a person? Well we're entering the silly season where the press have to make stuff up and there's so much 'chatter' out there that we don't know
what to believe. I'm currently reading
Tales From The Secret Footballer and it's obvious that if a club wants a manager, they'll get him. Ultimately, it's CWs decision, not McCabes. I certainly wouldn't boo him on his return as we've got
far more ex-managers to feel hatred for (Clough, Adkins etc.)
But you're probably looking for pointers to next season with Wilder in charge of The Black Cats. Who knows? Sunderland - like most clubs - have a history of employing car-crash managers and nobody knows what Wilder could do with your current squad. There's obviously some players who are happy to just sit tight and see their handsome contracts run down, but it's not that easy to shift them. Chris would need his tin hat on from Day One. Also (in the 'Secret Footballer' book) it mentions a belief among some owners that - even if a manager gets a club promoted - he should be replaced because it requires different manager skills in a higher level. As Cardiff will find next season. Think on that, Chris.
Personally, I think it would be a mistake for both parties. Sunderland cannot afford to get becalmed in Division One, and Chris Wilder does
not have a rock-solid reputation of getting clubs promoted from that level - just the one season. I'd imagine you Mackems are pretty underwhelmed with the prospect of CW at this pivotal moment in your recent history. A few bad results (and they
will come) and the crowd will turn on CW whereas he's got near-universal love at Bramall Lane. We've been there ourselves. We've started seasons full of hope with the likes of Nigel Clough and Nigel Adkins in charge and when it starts to go wrong, the fans think 'Not fucking
again!'
Anyway, all the best for next season as there's more pressure on you than us Blades. You've got a massive club just down the road, whereas we've only got a club who
think they're massive...
