All the reservations forgotten in one joyous moment
Internet message boards can’t cope with the surge in numbers. They’re up in arms; Michael Chopra has only limited Premiership experience, but more worryingly is a lifelong Newcastle fan. Yet it is he who will shoulder goal-scoring responsibility this season.
Fast forward to 2.32pm on Saturday last and supporters are once more up in arms about our new acquisition. This time, though, the arms are embraced as they salute a new hero in red and white. As he coolly slots in a last minute winner, the Stadium of Light erupts and boils over into frenzy.
Football fans are a fickle lot, but that’s the beauty of the game.
A last minute winner and debut goal is as much as Chopra could have prayed for to quieten the critics who suggested he’d struggle to replicate his Championship exploits in the Premier League.
Make no mistake about it, Sunderland are going places. Our last two seasons in the top flight have seen nothing but humiliation, yet the biggest crowd in the Premiership on Saturday was at the Stadium of Light.
It may be partly down to blind faith, or eternal optimism, yet the Quinn/Keane factor is the undoubted reason behind pulling 43,967 supporters into our magnificent arena without any big name signings to entice them.
Despite a lack of proven top level experience in our summer recruitment programme, it appears we’ve had decent value for money. At €3.6m, Paul McShane already looks like being the biggest steal since football was invented. Sporting a shocking ginger mane, he is forming what looks like a promising central defensive pairing with fans’ favourite Nyron Nosworthy.
They were so watertight on Saturday that spending €13m on a goalkeeper appeared a waste of cash, based on Craig Gordon’s time spectating rather than participating.
Still, looking at the performances of Derby and Birmingham’s custodians over the weekend, there’s definite logic in shelling out on a decent stopper. Brian Clough’s sides were always built from the back and we look like having the same sort of solid base to work from now.
We still need some more signings; it was a makeshift side that beat Tottenham. Dean Whitehead, arguably our best midfielder, was playing right back, while Danny Collins, an oft-maligned centre back and Ross Wallace, a novice winger, shared left sided full back duties.
Chopra may have netted impressively, but he needs support and we need back up for him. We’re optimistic round these parts, but not daft enough to think he’ll be enough. Apart from the promise of Anthony Stokes and Daryl Murphy, and the unproven Roy O’Donovan, there is little by way of a plan B.
Keane’s opinions on central midfield are also interesting. Graham Kavanagh has always impressed in red and white, but worryingly the gaffer seems to prefer Dwight Yorke in the middle of the park.
His former Man United team-mate may still have the guile, but if Saturday’s performance is anything to go by he’s a yard behind the pace in the top flight and you’d hope he ends the season as a luxury rather than a necessity.
The consensus from this opener is one of optimism on Wearside. A provisional side with little Premier experience and question marks over its ability managed to overcome a Spurs side who have finished in fifth place two years running and are expected to be the next team that breaks into the top four. On this showing our mix of passion, hard work and self belief looks enough to survive in this league.
It’s a funny old game. Who’d have thought when we went down so pathetically in 2005/06, we’d make an immediate return full of fight, with a gentle giant as our chairman, Roy Keane is the epitome of cool restraint in the dug out, and a die-hard Geordie is our new goal scoring hero.
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