To quote the Premier League Rulebook

Premier League rule 6.9
“Any club found to have played an ineligible player in a match shall have any points gained from that match deducted from its record and have levied upon it a fine.

“The company may vary this decision in respect of the points gained only in circumstances where the ineligibility is due to the failure to obtain an International Transfer Certificate or where the ineligibility is
related to the player's status only."

The ineligibility in this case arose through Ji's Int'l Clearance

So while we can go on about points deductions and such, the rules state the Premier League can vary it's rule for cases similar to Ji...

As unfair as it may seem the Premier League have got it right on this occasion, maybe now is the time to look over the PL/FA rulebook again and come up with a rule and punishment that will apply to everybody, whether your premier league or the Big Club in the Dog and Duck Pitchfork Sunday Morning League

Premier League: Norwich City sack Chris Hughton as manager

Wrong decision

Norwich have sacked Chris Hughton.
Strange, seeing as there are just 5 games left.

(06 Apr 2014, 7:28 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Norwich have sacked Chris Hughton.
Strange, seeing as there are just 5 games left.

Same time!!

(06 Apr 2014, 7:30 pm)Michael wrote Same time!!

Spooky!

(06 Apr 2014, 7:28 pm)Michael wrote Premier League: Norwich City sack Chris Hughton as manager

Wrong decision

Shocking decision. I know Chris Hughton isn't the most experienced manager in the division, but someone tell me the logic of replacing him with someone with no top flight managerial experience?

(06 Apr 2014, 8:15 pm)aureolin wrote Shocking decision. I know Chris Hughton isn't the most experienced manager in the division, but someone tell me the logic of replacing him with someone with no top flight managerial experience?

The same could be said for Spuds, Sherwood never had any kind of managerial...

Quite a risk for Norwich, there not home and dry yet, but it is baffling to sack the gaffer with 5 left to play

(07 Apr 2014, 6:25 pm)marxistafozzski wrote The same could be said for Spuds, Sherwood never had any kind of managerial...

Quite a risk for Norwich, there not home and dry yet, but it is baffling to sack the gaffer with 5 left to play

Point proven though to use the Sherwood example. He had a few wins off the belt, and then it's gone to pot again. He seems to have lost the plot a bit in recent weeks, and as such, his role is now "under review".

I dont think they should have given Sherwood the 18 month contract, should gave him to the end of the season and reviewed his performance then...

I honestly cannot see him being at WHL next season

(07 Apr 2014, 6:34 pm)marxistafozzski wrote I dont think they should have given Sherwood the 18 month contract, should gave him to the end of the season and reviewed his performance then...

I honestly cannot see him being at WHL next season

I thought he was told today he will be gone after the season ends

(07 Apr 2014, 6:34 pm)marxistafozzski wrote I dont think they should have given Sherwood the 18 month contract, should gave him to the end of the season and reviewed his performance then...

I honestly cannot see him being at WHL next season

He's a pratt anyway. Was as a player, and more so as a manager. I remember him going on before he got the job, saying "I'll only take it if its for the long term". Day later he takes an 18 month contract...

Someone was saying on the radio that Sherwood has about a 50% success rate.

With the media seemingly hounding him out, he has obviously upset someone.

(07 Apr 2014, 6:37 pm)Michael wrote I thought he was told today he will be gone after the season ends

Just found that out, only put the tv on 10 mins ago

(07 Apr 2014, 6:40 pm)aureolin wrote He's a pratt anyway. Was as a player, and more so as a manager. I remember him going on before he got the job, saying "I'll only take it if its for the long term". Day later he takes an 18 month contract...

Didn't he say something like 'If it was up to me, I would have a 10yr deal'

Sunderland down, gave up, worst performance iv'e seen in a long time

(07 Apr 2014, 8:50 pm)Michael wrote Sunderland down, gave up, worst performance iv'e seen in a long time

Thought it was quite entertaining myself. :p

(07 Apr 2014, 8:55 pm)aureolin wrote Thought it was quite entertaining myself. :p

Guess it's a bit more entertaining than Newcastle! I got to a point where eating my Skittles was more entertaining than Newcastle's match!

In a weekend where both top flight teams lost - again, this isn't me having a knock at Sunderland, but more of a curious outsider wanting to know what's going on.

Poyet has said there is a rotten core to the club.
So who's rotten?

The owner?
The CEO?
The rest of the board?
The senior players?
The ground staff?
The fans?
The academy staff?

If it is the owner, then there is nowt Poyet can do.
If it is Margaret Byrne, then Poyet is limited as he is if the rest of the board are rotten.
Most of the first team squad are seemingly on their way and he can quite easily build his own team next year.
Ditto with the ground staff. Cheap labour - easily replaced.
Not sure what he could mean about the fans being what is wrong with the fans.
Academy staff - see ground staff/first team squad.

Genuine question (can hardly throw bricks if I am in the glass house that is SJP).

(14 Apr 2014, 8:28 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote In a weekend where both top flight teams lost - again, this isn't me having a knock at Sunderland, but more of a curious outsider wanting to know what's going on.

Poyet has said there is a rotten core to the club.
So who's rotten?

The owner?
The CEO?
The rest of the board?
The senior players?
The ground staff?
The fans?
The academy staff?

If it is the owner, then there is nowt Poyet can do.
If it is Margaret Byrne, then Poyet is limited as he is if the rest of the board are rotten.
Most of the first team squad are seemingly on their way and he can quite easily build his own team next year.
Ditto with the ground staff. Cheap labour - easily replaced.
Not sure what he could mean about the fans being what is wrong with the fans.
Academy staff - see ground staff/first team squad.

Genuine question (can hardly throw bricks if I am in the glass house that is SJP).

Didn't Di Canio say the same thing, iirc he actually named John O'Shea as a two faced snake in the grass and had issues with Phil Bardsley, not sure about anyone else...

Something is obviously wrong there, because on paper that squad are better than relegation fodder, I don't know, there may be bad blood among the players i.e. won't play for each other or for Poyet as a way to force a move away, Johnson will probably go in summer, his wage will not be sustainable in the Championship, Bardsley and Colback have rejected new contracts, Borini and Ki won't be there next season and I worry for Sunderland as they may struggle to bounce back, and could go into freefall ala Wolves or Sheff Utd.

The big thing for Sunderland is losing money, they have lost about 23m every year Short has been owner, next year they stand to lose 3x that with the loss of tv money, it would be a disaster if Short pulled the plug and we would see the very likely outcome of them 'doing a Leeds/Pompey'

A mass exodus of players might not be a bad thing for Sunderland as it means that Poyet can bring the players he wants to make the team bounce back from what almost certainly looks like relegation to the Championship. However, if most of them are going to be out of contract, this obviously poses a problem about where money for new signings is going to come from.

Addressing the 23m per season deficit is what concerns me the most about Sunderland.

(14 Apr 2014, 9:32 pm)AdamY wrote A mass exodus of players might not be a bad thing for Sunderland as it means that Poyet can bring the players he wants to make the team bounce back from what almost certainly looks like relegation to the Championship. However, if most of them are going to be out of contract, this obviously poses a problem about where money for new signings is going to come from.

Addressing the 23m per season deficit is what concerns me the most about Sunderland.

Exactamundo, which can end up being there downfall, 1 administration and there fucked, before anyone jumps on me claiming Sunderland are too big to see that happen, newsflash, there not. They need a complete rebuild now, Poyet knows that and he himself has nowt to lose when they get relegated and if I am honest a couple of years rebulding followed by consolidation in the Championship may not do any real harm at all

It'll be interesting to see how fan attendance pans out next season if (when) Sunderland are relegated. When Andreos brought up his list of points about Poyet means when claiming that the club has a rotten core - the fans were included. After reasing that I had a quick look at Sunderland's attendance this season. While league games are reasonably well-attended - averaging around the 40,000 mark - most of their cup attendances, up until the Manchester United League Cup game, are very poor indeed. For example, the fourth-round League Cup tie against Southampton only attracted a crowd of 15,966 while their fifth-round tie against Chelsea attracted a crowd of 20,731. Believe it not, Sunderland's FA Cup fourth-round tie against Kidderminster attracted more fans than their fifth-round tie against Southampton: 25,081 vs. 16.777. You can argue that midweek cup fixtures will always attract less fans than Saturday fixtures but there's something fundamentally wrong if Sunderland can't attract fans to a Saturday FA Cup fixture. This is something fans should attend especially when a decent cup run is ostensibly Sunderland's best chance of success.

I have a feeling more fans will abandon the club if relegated to the Championship.

I don't think they sold out Man Yoo in the C1 Cup Semi Home Leg

iirc when they came down in 05-06, they averaged about 30k most of the 06/07 season, infact the only times they got 40k+ was against Leeds and Sheff Wed...

So going by that alone, chances are crowds will drop next season

(14 Apr 2014, 10:10 pm)marxistafozzski wrote I don't think they sold out Man Yoo in the C1 Cup Semi Home Leg

No, they didn't. The attendance for that game was 31,547. As I said, you expect midweek and League Cup fixtures to draw less. But considering Sunderland drew 34,745 for a midweek game against Stoke City on Jan 29th, you'd expect a first-leg, semi-final League Cup fixture against Man U to draw more than that.

It makes you think what kind of crowd they will get next season, Charlton or Doncaster on a Tuesday night is not really appealing imo, if 06-07 is anything to go by then they can expect an average of about 30k-33k with the only games attracting anywhere 40k being Boro, Leeds and possibly Sheff Wed

If attendances drop would you still argue that the North East have some of most passionate fans in football?

They really don't!

It's a myth fans and sports writers keep perpetuating in order to say something positive about football in the region.

Don't believe the hype.

There is an element I would say are very passionate, in terms of away support, I would say we have the best travelling support...

Who saw that coming tonight...

Show me a Sunderland fan who thought they would get a result tonight and I will expose a big fat liar

(16 Apr 2014, 8:50 pm)marxistafozzski wrote Who saw that coming tonight...

Show me a Sunderland fan who thought they would get a result tonight and I will expose a big fat liar

As a Sunderlamd fan i thought it was gonna be 3,4 or 5-0

(16 Apr 2014, 9:14 pm)Michael wrote As a Sunderlamd fan i thought it was gonna be 3,4 or 5-0

That's coming at the weekend ;-)

(16 Apr 2014, 11:56 pm)marxistafozzski wrote That's coming at the weekend ;-)

we thought that against city but it didn't happen, we were unlucky not to win last night.. was gutted when Mannone let the ball in the net

His being saved us many times this season to