Image: A Love Supreme

We will wait until tomorrow to write about anything that has happened on the deadline day transfer front.

Who knows whether there can be yet further twists before the witching hour is reached?
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37 years on from a tight draw at Meadow Lane, Sunderland show that they have learned nothing from the past and turn in a display that has Pete Sixsmith shaking his head in wonderment at such an embarrassing performance

So, the idea of symmetry with the teaching career goes out of the bloody window at the first stage.

What an absolutely shocking performance our players turned in yesterday. I won’t use the word “team” in this, because we played nothing like one. It was a collection of individuals pretending to be a unified group in red and white stripes, nothing more.

Our opponents, a decent third level team, stuck to their task well. They were organised, efficient and well drilled. This proved to be far too much for the assembled red and white superstars, who played as if they were up against some wonder team from the upper echelons of La Liga rather than a mid table Division One team.

As I drove across an empty Wearmouth Bridge towards an empty Stadium of Light, I heard the line up and thought, “Hmm, one or two will be keen to show the manager and the assembled fans that they are good enough to play regularly. This makes me look forward to an afternoon of high tempo football and lots of goals whizzing past the Pies goalkeeper”.

How wrong could I be? Quite a lot as it happened. Our “squad” players made it clear that the only squad that applied to them was one they should be stood in front of. (more…)

With more space, Charlton and Irish fans could have been added to that list. They may also know that Andy Reid has varied gifts and interests. Guitar thieves permitting, he does a decent job on his Gibson. He also plays banjo, writes songs and knows a little about history and politics. This interview supplied to Salut! Sunderland gives a flavour of a man with a life beyond football …

So if Bob Dylan and Michel Platini walked through the door and extended right hands to Andy Reid, which would he shake first?
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Andy Reid is a cultured midfielder. He’s also, by all accounts, an accomplished musician. But a nasty little theft has prompted him to issue an appeal for help in the return of some important items of personal property …

The theft of two guitars owned by me, though an impossible crime since I have only one, would not be a reason for public distress.
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Transfer speculation is generally a pain. Agents, players and management spread or plant the most ridiculous tosh, because they have an agenda to serve. And some lazy journalists, I am sure, lap it up and also willingly come up with their own names and scenarios, based on pure invention or the flimsiest of information, to throw into the ring.
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As Sunderland prepare to face Arsenal, the debate rages on. Should France v Republic of Ireland be replayed? If so, what about Reading 1 Sunderland 0 (goal given, not over line), Sunderland 1 Aston Villa 1 (legitimate, last second SAFC winner inexplicably denied by Steve Bentley), Sunderland 1 Liverpool 0 (beachball clinches the points).
One view of Thierry Henry’s public contrition is that it reaffirms his greatness; another is that it was a little belated and therefore that public reaction forced his hand (sorry).
No serious football controversy would be complete without Pete Sixsmith weighing in. And he says the Irish just have to get on with life …

Like the poor Swedish referee, I didn’t see the Henry Handball incident on Wednesday. I was driving home from Billingham, having got my midweek football fix by watching an entertaining game between Synthonia and West Allotment Celtic (2-1 to the visitors if you really want to know), but I did have the commentary on Radio 5 Live.

In between the whoops and soars and the intervention of Radio Moscow, I heard John Murray say absolutely clearly that Henry had handled it and the goal should not have stood. Mark Lawrenson came on at the end of the 90 minutes and said the same, only more forcefully. Both spoke about the need for technology to help the officials with their decisions.
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On a night when Irish eyes were left streaming with tears, Salut! Sunderland cheats a little with its headline …

That headline is a product of premature exasperation.

Thierry Henry has yet to declare his hand, so to speak.

But if he wishes to sign up to the Salut! Sunderland AFC (Against Football Cheats) campaign**, we will promise never, ever to reproduce any of the trillion pictures and video clips that are surely being posted even now to websites the world over showing his moment of disgrace in tonight’s France v Republic of Ireland’s match in Paris.

And to think that Mr Henry was for so long our favourite player of any nationality in the Premier League.

When Giovanni Trapattoni idiotically excluded Andy Reid from his squad, reportedly the legacy of some late-night banjo warfare in Germany, Salut! Sunderland voted for a French win.

Tonight, as France celebrates a draw that manhandled the Irish out of the World Cup, the message changes from Allez les Bleus to A Bas les Bleus.

** Our campaign has as its dream targets Eduardo for the role of professional adviser, David Ngog as education officer, Herita Ilunga in charge of choreography and Gary McAllister as life president. Thierry Henry can look after the proposed Maradona Academy.
Our campaign has as its dream targets Eduardo as professional adviser, David Ngog as education officer, Herita Ilunga in charge of choreography and Gary McAllister as life president. Thierry Henry can look after the proposed Maradona Academy.

As it is internationals weekend, a large chunk of Salut! Sunderland is off to Istanbul to celebrate his wedding anniversary. Whether much new appears here over the weekend is up to another large chunk, and the IT and editing skills of a smaller chunk, left behind. But before I tuck into the kebabs, let me give a quick kicking to Giovanni Trapattoni for his continued exclusion of Andy Reid from the Irish squad …

Q: “What do you call a banjo at the bottom of the sea?”

A: “A start?”

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