How bad is Mick McCarthy??

**colster** · 12/05/2003, 3:40 PM

He's got the worst record of any manager beginning a reign at a club. He's lost 9 in a row?
The game against Arsenal was embarrassing. Arsenal looked like they were playing a testimonial or practice game.
Admittedly Sunderland have been bad all season but Big Mick seems to have made them worse if that were possible.

What are the odds on him getting the sack next season?

**colster** · 12/05/2003, 4:10 PM

I guess you're right. We shouldn't judge him until next season but the signs are not too good.
Sunderland against Arsenal looked like they didn't want to be there at all.
They looked a totally demoralised team and the prospects for next season are not looking good.
I wouldn't be surprised at all if they slip into the 2nd division.
When you compare the display they put up against Arsenal with that of Sheffield United in the cup I just can't see how McCarthy is going to succeed in getting them promoted next season.

**pete** · 12/05/2003, 4:12 PM

Sunderland were a lame duck when he took over & doubt anybody could have motivated those players to save themselves from relegation so hard to judge McCarthy on this season.

They saeem to have a good few young players that'll do better with a drop down in standard. Premiership is probably too early for Thornton but he could do well with a season in the Nationwide.

fonzi · 13/05/2003, 11:41 AM

i dont see them doing mutch next season. they will have to off load a few players and cut wages here and there. and they will not have a strong a squad as at least 6 nationwide clubs.
id say they will finnish mid table.

**Macy** · 13/05/2003, 12:13 PM

Originally posted by pete
Sunderland were a lame duck when he took over & doubt anybody could have motivated those players to save themselves from relegation so hard to judge McCarthy on this season.

Would no way suggest that McCarthy should or was able (or anyone was able at that stage) to keep Sunderland up at that stage, I still think a new manager should've got some kind of response when joining a club - even playing for their place.... Their record since he took over is bad even for them this season...
He'll have to get them a playoff place next season at least, whether he's capable of that is another thing, but I suppose time will tell...

**pineapple stu** · 15/05/2003, 6:58 PM

Don't forget the players didn't care any more. They'd been dire for the previous season and a half - all defeats is bad, but it's a particularly bad team we're talking about!

He'll sell and buy at least 10 players and they'll be up near promotion next season.

**max power** · 16/05/2003, 11:34 AM

how bad is he. his "amazing" book on the world cup is fro sale in Easons for €6.99.

not really a good sign for what people actually think of him, personally i think he has the managerial bearings of a turnip

fonzi · 16/05/2003, 3:17 PM

i trhink he models himselfon the old skool type of manager kind of grahame taylor or that type but thosemanagers are on the way out in theese times.

**Beavis** · 07/03/2004, 6:24 PM

It was terrible how he was treated by the irish public in the aftermath of the World Cup.
Always look out to see how Sunderland and our players there are doing.
He had to sell 19 of his players since his joined Sunderland,mostly from the 1st 11.He's scrapped together a makeshift side (mainly free transfers),brought in irish lads and made McAteer captain,a side which now play decent football and have the traditional McCarthy heart,who should at the least make the playoffs and have already achieved much in the fa cup.
Remarks like 'he had the tactical awareness of a turnip' are completely ungrounded given his record as a manager.Did well with Millwall, he then had the task of merging a whole new generation of irish players into the setup to replace the Charlton era which he managed superbly.We were p**s unlucky in 98 and 2000 qualifying,and then he took us through a group that we weren't given a hope in. Now he's turned around a Sunderland side which looked destined to nosedive like Wimbledon,Oldham,Sheff Weds had all done before.
Irish fans were so caught up in the promise of a Roy return,that they chased out a great manager and servant of irish football.

**Gary** · 07/03/2004, 6:38 PM

Originally posted by Beavis
It was terrible how he was treated by the irish public in the aftermath of the World Cup.
Always look out to see how Sunderland and our players there are doing.
He had to sell 19 of his players since his joined Sunderland,mostly from the 1st 11.He's scrapped together a makeshift side (mainly free transfers),brought in irish lads and made McAteer captain,a side which now play decent football and have the traditional McCarthy heart,who should at the least make the playoffs and have already achieved much in the fa cup.
Remarks like 'he had the tactical awareness of a turnip' are completely ungrounded given his record as a manager.Did well with Millwall, he then had the task of merging a whole new generation of irish players into the setup to replace the Charlton era which he managed superbly.We were p**s unlucky in 98 and 2000 qualifying,and then he took us through a group that we weren't given a hope in. Now he's turned around a Sunderland side which looked destined to nosedive like Wimbledon,Oldham,Sheff Weds had all done before.
Irish fans were so caught up in the promise of a Roy return,that they chased out a great manager and servant of irish football.

Great post and I couldnt agree any more even if i tried. In the whole "Roy is God" saga people forgot that Mick took over, not an aging squad, but an aged squad, and managed to bring through alot of players in a very short time, and still managed to get us to the play off, and lose unluckily to Belgium.

He was also a tad unlucky for Euro 2000, and as pointed out above, he masterminded Hollands demise in the WC2002 qualifiers Anyone who says "well we lost a 2-0 lead" can fúck right off. The best teams in the world have lost 2-3 goal leads in the past.

Delighted to see him prove people like Max and Colster and media morons like Dunphy wrong wrong WRONG!

**Declan_Michael** · 07/03/2004, 7:06 PM

Mick is better off without Ireland. As already mentioned he was shown no respect by the vodafone armchair brigade.

Hope Sunderland fans appreciate what they've got.

**lopez** · 07/03/2004, 7:53 PM

Best manager we ever had in my opinion. He achieved less than Jack - first place in group stages (by twelve seconds) or the quarter finals of the World Cup (favourable lots giving us Romania not Germany and then winning our penalty shoot out ) - but he had a younger set of players taking over and was never blessed with the defenders of Jack (although Jack never had the quality of attackers of Mick and Brian).

If you can remember, the post-Jack job was cursed as a 'poison chalice'. Mick survived six years, three qualifiers, three play-offs, one a success. Probably why he's doing so well at Sunderland. I'm not a great fan of English club football, but I'm hoping he's at Cardiff come May as one of the teams' managers.

**pineapple stu** · 08/03/2004, 12:35 PM

The anti-Mick brigade have gone very quiet lately, haven't they?

**tiktok** · 08/03/2004, 1:13 PM

he's not really come up in conversation (apart from wrt Saipan and Keane), has he Stu?

I still think his man management let him down at the WC (and before it with Irwin), I still think we didn't do as well at the WC as we should have, and that he was often found out tactically e.g. Holland away in the qualifiers.
Having said that, definitely a better manager than Charlton was, whatever the stats would have you believe, at least he tried to play football, and he's doing well with Sunderland, fair play to him.

**Éanna** · 08/03/2004, 2:26 PM

Originally posted by Beavis
It was terrible how he was treated by the irish public in the aftermath of the World Cup.
Always look out to see how Sunderland and our players there are doing.
He had to sell 19 of his players since his joined Sunderland,mostly from the 1st 11.He's scrapped together a makeshift side (mainly free transfers),brought in irish lads and made McAteer captain,a side which now play decent football and have the traditional McCarthy heart,who should at the least make the playoffs and have already achieved much in the fa cup.
Remarks like 'he had the tactical awareness of a turnip' are completely ungrounded given his record as a manager.Did well with Millwall, he then had the task of merging a whole new generation of irish players into the setup to replace the Charlton era which he managed superbly.We were p**s unlucky in 98 and 2000 qualifying,and then he took us through a group that we weren't given a hope in. Now he's turned around a Sunderland side which looked destined to nosedive like Wimbledon,Oldham,Sheff Weds had all done before.
Irish fans were so caught up in the promise of a Roy return,that they chased out a great manager and servant of irish football.

very well said. I was never a big fan of his when he was in the ireland job, but he got better as time went on. IMO he just got the job too early, and wasn't experienced enough. He's really beginning to show his worth now, and good luck to him. Seeing as the FA Cup final draw has just been made- I'd love to see Sunderland beat Man Utd in the final and leave them trophyless: just for the look on Keane's face as Mick gets the trophy

**Declan_Michael** · 08/03/2004, 2:37 PM

Funny how McCarthy's loyal supporters are coming out the woodward now? Where were you when he was being savaged by the press? Or are you just consigned to the face that Kerr isn't the saviour of Irish football and that Keane isn't coming back?

Nonetheless I'm sure Mick will be heartened to hear messages of good will from the country that treated him with such respect in his final months as manager.

**Éanna** · 08/03/2004, 2:45 PM

I was never a loyal supporter of his, never had much time for him at all. Regardless of that, I thought he got a very raw deal.

**Macy** · 08/03/2004, 2:50 PM

Proves nothing - any manager that fails to spot the opposition are a man down is wánk, and no revisionist bs is going to change that...

**SÓC** · 08/03/2004, 2:56 PM

Originally posted by Macy
Proves nothing - any manager that fails to spot the opposition are a man down is wánk, and no revisionist bs is going to change that...

every word of this hurts but I agree with Macy.

**WeAreRovers** · 08/03/2004, 3:15 PM

Originally posted by Macy
Proves nothing - any manager that fails to spot the opposition are a man down is wánk, and no revisionist bs is going to change that...

Yet again our correspondent form the planet Sanity hits the nail on the head. I wanted McCarthy out the day he got the Ireland job. Never was a good manager, never will be.

All of you saluting the Barnsley gimp obviously know sod all about 1st Division football. West Brom and Norwich are going to be promoted on a tiny fraction of the budget that the Yorkshire fool has.

Neil Warnock was quoted before yesterday's game as saying that while Sunderland were trying to get their wage bill down to £17 million Sheff Utd were trying to get their's up to £3 million!

McCarthy has achieved nothing as a manager. Decent 1st Division managers - Gary Megson, Nigel Worthington, Ronnie Moore, Paul Jewell, Neil Warnock, Ian Dowie, Lennie Lawrence, Andy Hessenthaler. The list does NOT include McCarthy.

KOH

PS Did I mention that I hate Mick McCarthy and his moron sidekick Ian "Taff" Evans? The FAI's very own Hoddle and Gorman