Debate: Why has it gone wrong for Roy Keane at Sunderland?

Roy Keane, the Sunderland manager, is coming under increasing pressure after his side slumped to their fifth defeat in their last six games, at home to Bolton Wanderers, at the weekend. The Black Cats are now in the relegation zone and facing a weekend trip to Old Trafford.

It appears Keane expressing doubts about his own future has unsettled his own players and is partly to blame for the malaise on Wearside, though George Caulkin, in today's The Times, looks in more depth at what has gone wrong.

One of the problems, of course, is that the former Manchester United midfielder has made some pretty average signings. Check out this article, also from Russell Brand's favourite national newspaper, and you will see what we mean. Having read and digested, please then come back and give us your views.

Debate: what has gone wrong for Roy Keane at Sunderland? How would you rate the £80million he has invested in new players?

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Comments

[Graham]

Actually I am a Black & White season ticket holder so perhaps I should not comment (snigger) but the wife's brother in law is a Mackem. He got a bottle in the back of the head 25 years ago and has never been the same since at least I do not think so. He says give him another £80 million and he may get them out of the relegation zone and bankrupt the Irish consortium and Eire as well. Oh come on, lets face it, Roy Keane, the poor lad never served any managerial apprenticeship at a lower division club and now he looks as if he is going to be thrown to the lions. He has the right credentials, top player from a top club and a nasty reputation to go along with it but what is it they say about swallows making a summer. You tried Roy but go off to somewhere like Kettering Town and start again.

[C. F. King]

Hearing pundits ramble on about Keane's "wasted" transfer budget has been irritating. Caulkin's analysis is the best I've seen--he makes a good case that Keane's signings have been pretty much average. Some hits. Some misses. No different than most clubs. Big money buys like Robbie Keane and Jo flop, while free ones like Geovanni have six goals. Go figure.

Unfortunately, Keane's biggest flops play defense. Caulkin points out Chimbonda's off-field antics, but they're nothing compared to his failings on the pitch. Foolish mistakes over and over that always seem to happen at the worst possible time. Craig Gordon hasn't exactly impressed either. And I don't think Dean Whitehead is Premiership quality (though he wasn't a Keane signing), especially given the fragility of the back line he's in front of. Unfortunately, it looks like Keane won't have the money to correct some of his mistakes come January.