Sunderland Netflix Doc

For those unaware, Netflix has a documentary about Sunderland's 2017-18 season (Sunderland 'Til I Die). Just recently finished it, and highly recommend it.

What stood out to me was how no one, from Sunderland's admin, to their players, to their fans, fully grasped the reality of relegation, and the changes it requires on all levels to rebuild and get promoted.

Sure, everyone was aware the team wasn't very good the prior season, and needed to improve to get back to the EPL because they're a "big club" and "massive club" and thats where they "belong" (using quotes not to editorialize, but because they were constant refrains.). But it was almost as if they were doomed to League 1 before their Championship campaign even began.

Some of this is down to owner Ellis Short waffling and then throwing in the towel. Some of it was down to the players, who either weren't good enough, or were good but created a toxic atmosphere (Gibson; Rodwell). Some of it is down to the managers and executives who didn't really seem to have a vision or mission to improve things beyond the typical cliches about "character" and "wanting to be there".

Overall it felt like it was approached like a routine business cycle ("oh, sales are down so we have to downsize and work harder to turn things around for a bit") and not a catastrophe/emergency that requires a total rethink of the original model.

Although we are now facing our own relegation, again, it did make me thankful that Fulham managed to both survive the first season in the Championship, and completely rethink our model. Granted there were daggers out for Craig Kline and Tony Khan and whoever else was making the deals from day 1 for their unorthodox approach, but the results showed it was a drastic improvement from the prior approach. Look at the 2015-16, and especially 2016-17 summer transfer windows (which doesn't include Sessegnon but he "graduated" to the first team that summer) and note how many players are still with the team to this day. Okay fine it's all gone pear shaped this season, but you can see project most of them still being with us in the Championship next season.

Anyway, anyone else see it? Curious to know your thoughts.

 

I really enjoyed it. Some of the scenes with supporters and the club management were really intense. It overall gave me a much better idea of how clubs are managed behind the scenes. For better or for worse.