Is this where we are at?

[MikeW]

The case for Rene

First, a few facts.  He talked the talk.  Great PR man. And from what we are led to believe, a brilliant coach.
After Jol, he took up the mantle and appointed help.  Wilkins on the training ground, Curbs (presumably) to assist as a wise head, sort the transfers, all the back office work with the benefit of experience.  Been there ... done it.
After the 'new manager' boost, a few chickens come home to roost.  Everything Rene knew is there before his eyes at Hull.  No motivation, ageing legs, things need to be done.

He does it with apparently the blessing of the main man (his money) and the Chief Executive (not his money but nervous)?
After a dreadful FA Cup replay he gets the knife out.
Brings in a few of the new signings; 'rests' a few of the establishment. High profile televised game v Man U; media get interested, we get a point in slightly bizarre fashion.

Next game up – Liverpool.  Pretty much sticks with the same team, exceptional performance again until moment of madness gives away penalty.

Looking ahead – let's maintain that momentum and with one possible exception, they are winnable.  Let's go for it.
Geographically distant owner - who knows nothing about 'soccer' - relies on Chief Executive (still probably looking over his shoulder at the sack if club relegated) goes on a mission to find another boss. Convinces absent owner to change it all again.
Woeful decision.
New manager with rather dubious credentials is coming in and (seemingly) not with support of 'the faithful' who after all turn up and support.
What the hell is going on?
Will owner face up?
Will increasingly desperate Chief Executive please explain - apart from personal job preservation - what he's up to?
It's a recipe for disaster
What will ever supportive PR lady have to say after a series of matey interviews with former head coach are replaced with gruff, monosyllabic interviews with new Fuhrer?

Oh dear, I'm very worried.

[sumofallparts]

Well said Mike - I think you got all the salient points in there.
I am also looking forward to the 'matey' interviews Sarah Brookes will do.
I can't help think of Rene (awful coincidence) and Herr Flick ... pleasant, but awkward exchanges !

[Fulham1959]

Excellent post, Mike.

I've also been thinking about the 'Manager' interview and I suspect it will be back to Martin Jol territory.  Good luck, Sarah ! 

I'm still hoping that, somehow, Rene will stay on board  -  though it's highly doubtful.

[TonyGilroy]

We do not know, and probably never will, whether the impetus for the appointment of a new manager and ditching of Rene was Mackintosh panicking or Khan demanding. Same goes for earlier decisions this season.

I suspect the latter but that's only a guess.

Mackintosh may be thrashing around or may be under heavy pressure from his boss. Or both.

Under MAF these sorts of decisions would not have been Mackintosh's to make - have things changed?

And might this actually turn out to be a good decision?

[epsomraver]

"We are doomed I tell ya, doomed"

[TonyGilroy]

It's just a flesh wound.

[Arthur]

There is at least one vital fact that the OP overlooks: Rene's PL record. 3 wins and 9 defeats in 13 games. (Identical to Jol's this season, incidentally.) Knowing this, were the clock to be turned back to the point of Jol's dismissal, how many of us would want the Club to try somebody other than RM in the managerial role? I know I would. What, at the time, seemed to be a step in the direction of retaining our PL status, has thus far yielded a points return no better than the (much-maligned) predecessor.

The question, presumably, was straightforward: How likely was Rene to get the points we need to avoid relegation? It's a matter of opinion, of course. Yet, based on his record of 10 points from 13 games and only 1 point from the last 6 games, I can see no reasonably compelling case that RM would have done so. Although there was much to like about him, I can understand why the Club have concluded that our chances of beating the drop were so slim that it made the gamble of appointing Magath the more enticing option.

Despite the change, the odds are still against us. If nothing else, I guess it shows that Khan is not indifferent to prospect of our being a Championship side next season.

[bobby01]

There is at least one vital fact that the OP overlooks: Rene's PL record. 3 wins and 9 defeats in 13 games. (Identical to Jol's this season, incidentally.) Knowing this, were the clock to be turned back to the point of Jol's dismissal, how many of us would want the Club to try somebody other than RM in the managerial role? I know I would. What, at the time, seemed to be a step in the direction of retaining our PL status, has thus far yielded a points return no better than the (much-maligned) predecessor.

The question, presumably, was straightforward: How likely was Rene to get the points we need to avoid relegation? It's a matter of opinion, of course. Yet, based on his record of 10 points from 13 games and only 1 point from the last 6 games, I can see no reasonably compelling case that RM would have done so. Although there was much to like about him, I can understand why the Club have concluded that our chances of beating the drop were so slim that it made the gamble of appointing Magath the more enticing option.

Despite the change, the odds are still against us. If nothing else, I guess it shows that Khan is not indifferent to prospect of our being a Championship side next season.

:plus one:

[bobby01]

Quote"new manager with rather dubious credentials coming in". This is a man who has won the Bundesliga three times, supposedly his training methods are very harsh. So what they earn a fortune and the amount of goals we let in late in the game smacks of a lack of fitness to me. Give the bloke a break as in all honesty all opinions of him so far are based on conjecture and rumour.

[Fernhurst]

Very well put Arthur.
Since taking over,senior management have had Rene under the microscope and where us punters have been pleased by some of his actions taken,the other two managers appointed Pullis and Poyet have lifted their teams out of the bottom 3.
I never envisaged Sunderland achieving a position where they could now escape the dreaded.
We are at the bar in the last chance saloon now,however, did Rene give off a whiff of building for the future rather than scrapping for our survival?

The decision has been made and all us supporters can do is to hang on to the ships handrail in this " Titanic " of a season.

[cmg]

It's just a flesh wound.

This one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKhEw7nD9C4#