In your newcastle slums you look in uefas dustbin for a cup place you get intertoto there a smile on yer face in your newcastle slums. Is there any level that your club will not stoop to? I was under the impression that you were bigger than barcalona.Think about it though.last time you had a really dodgy qualification you won the bloody thing.This makes your cup runner up qualifications look almost as good as the real thing!

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Answers

Do you want some fava beans and a nice chianti to go with your liver? You could always apply for the earlier rounds of the Bedlington Senior Cup if you feel left out.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Bedlington senior cup? are you bloody joking? The terriers are in that and they'll stuff us!Do you not think that your club is de- valueing itself? Or will you take the hardline view that you are in europe so it doesn't matter? Also what do you think of Sunderland refusal to enter?

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

The ting you don't seem able to grasp Sooperone is that NUFC didn't facilitate this decision by the Italians. The funniest thing about it is that if Sunlung had entered the competition you'd be looking forward to european football in the coming season and most probably you'd be on here laughing at how Sunlung have stolen our place!!

Thank you UEFA, our friends, for not letting that happen. You see when you are in Europe you make a lot of friends. Fate has decreed that Sunlung's awful brand of "Football" is not representing English football abroad.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

I thought it was the right decision for you at the time. Results were starting to slide and you couldn't have put out a message that less than top 6 was good enough. Looks a bit like cutting your nose off to spite your face now though, eh? Or are you going to say that nobody would have turned up to watch if you'd qualified via this route?

Still quietly impressed with Reid picking up cheap, young, promising talent. Getting a countryman in to keep Arca company makes a lot of sense, but if they break into the International side then you'll be left feeling a bit sick.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Haemorrhoids playing-up today Mr Soupa-K? Bit off form?

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Debuilder,ask yourself this. Who actually won the right to enter the intertoto this season from england? Answer,sunderland as we were the highest placed. If you make progress and your league form suffers DO NOT start complaining about not getting enough pre-season. and yes pre season does matter as the real superkev will testify,he did not get any and he struggled for sharpness for a long time.I think that a lot of eople will be sniggering gently in your direction now. I mean a bigger than barca blah blah blah club going cap in hand to Uefa!!!!!!!! Obviously i now expect the accusations of jealousy at sunderland but again i emphasise that we actually won the right to enter but we knocked it back.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Do you agree with your Managers/Board's decision to not enter the cup?

Everyone always harps on about getting back to fitness and saying there is no substitute for playing real matches to get full 100% fitness. I don't see how the players will suffer that much. Their general fitness should me that much better this season anyway once the new person is appointed to oversee such matters.

At the end of the day if we find ourselves in the UEFA cup those players will not be hiding on the treatment table for games like that. Players will have an extra incentive to establish themselves in the first team and that is something that can only benefit the side.

Sure Sunderland are not in Europe but they weren't last year either and you still came 7th, why do you think next season will be any different, especially as you seem to be replacing players not adding to your squad?

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Re: "you make friends playing in Europe". Consider whether NUFC's interests would be served by being humiliated in the Intertoto, shattering any lingering rose-tinted views of the club being a genuine Premiership challenger.

You have more to lose than gain by entering the Intertoto. The club know that, but they daren't not enter.

Enjoy your moral "victory" while it lasts. We will have the last laugh on this, I guarantee it.

ML3

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Inter Milan were in it last year, now there is a bunch of small minded tossers if ever I saw one

Two years ago I had the 'pleasure' of watching us play friendlies against Livingston, Dundee United and Celtic as part os pre-season. Celtic had some worth but the rest was pathetic (or we were anyway). If we'd decided to do pre-season game sin Belgium we'd be saying our current opposition was about the right level to play against at thi stime of the year. That it's now competitive is okay with me.

Who are Sunderland felxing their pre-season muscles against, I presume no one otherwise the players may get injured, suffer early season form loss etc.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

True, AC Milan were absolutely desparate to play in Europe too. If the sum of your ambitions is to play in a qualifying competition for the lesser European tournament, you are welcome to them.

There is a world of difference between a pre-season warm up and a competetive fixture. How many teams must find out the hard way before NUFC cotton on.

ML3

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

ML3

That's like saying you stand to lose more by entering the FA Cup! There's risk in everything but in some things the pros far outweigh the cons and this is one of them. People will quickly forget it if we fail, perhaps the mackems won't but most will, whereas if we succeed many people, probably not the mackems, will be very happy for a vey long time.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Bllody hell Makems - calm down. we KNOW the Inter Toto is a big load of b*llocks but we can do nothing about it. We 're in it. There are pros and cons. True it could go against us but since 3 of our best players (Cort, Dyer and Shearer) won't be fit anyway, there are no concerns about them getting crocked.

We are not going to agonise about whether we should be in it or not. It's happening so we're going to enjoy it whatever, even if it comes to nowt.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

soupakev and maklurk, lads you have missed the point again, think football for once in your heeds please, The first round of the the inter toto cup, legs one and 2 being played now are the worst possible time for most teams, second round stage is ideal ,better than friendlies (see Macbeth), more meaningful games with a carrott at the end if you win. Problem being like it or not but UEFA have seeded all teams up to 182 for their competitions, Newcastle are 63rd I think, Sunderland are not quoted , Aberdeen are 178 , so before getting holier than thou , back door rubbish , ask yourself this, would Reid if offered accept entry into 2nd round as opposed to playing friendly`s against ????, the offer was never going to come, stoopid question Buff.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

It seems that we've touched a raw nerve or two on Wearside?

Not our fault that the Spanish team withdrew.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Is that the lesser European tournament that Sunderland fans were so desperate to qualify for only a few months ago? It wouldn't be a lesser European competition if Sunderland were in it of course.

I sense a bit more hostility from you today ML3, don't spoil the hard work you've put in which has made you a valued contributor on here.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

De B, I'm sure a lot of Mackems are peeved we didn't put ourselves forward for the Intertoto. I think the mags may do well, BUT the inherent dangers of a club in the bottom half of the table starting their season in July is obvious. West Ham and Villa had a very slow start, Bradford went down.

If you started slowly, repeated the lacklustre finish of last season and engineered yourselves an injury crisis where would you be? A = The Nationwide.

ML3

PS MacBeth, I can field smug comments till the cows come home.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Hostility? moi?

Just a bit of friendly banter, with several large bites. I love you all really.

ML3 XXX ;o)

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

OCML 3 , out of interest friend, can you post on here the dates and opponents of the friendly pre season games your lot are involved in or have arranged , we tend to get invited , genuine inquiry as you seem to draw paralell (sp) with last years inter -totan teams .

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

De B!!! "It wouldn't be a lesser European competition if Sunderland were in it of course. "

It bloody would! Can't think of a better way to lower a competition's level! ;-)

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

I don't think Robson will play his strongest team, he will have several key players in there but for the most part the team will be made up of durable players that played in the reserves. Players that don't get hurt much and if they do it's not that big a loss, people like Luax2, maybe chopra, harper, the caldwells and several others I think will make this team up. The one thing I am concerned about is having to play Villa in the final (if we make it) that could be too much too soon. And what of Rob Lee's Testimonial??

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

it's what sets you apart !

but seriously what is the difference in playing a Belgian side on 21st July to playing Mansfield the same day, or Calais four days earlier ?

Teh later games are mixed in with the Sunderland tour of Holland. I really don't see the difference, nor any difference to us going to Sweden. It is infinitely better than China which had been the original suggestion for our lot.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

So bliddy obvious aint it ?? , bite their hands off grrrrrr

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Howay lurker man , sick of waiting , dates and names of Sunderlands friendlies , sepa kev give him a hand, will wait another half hour and ask Macbeth or Softie to tell me, or mebbes William Kane esq, mebbees aye,mebbees no , hurry up lads, times precious to me.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

it's obvious why ml is hostile...he's putting up shelves :-)

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

I think this is a great opportunity, and one that we should throw ourselves into. It will be the making of the side and kick starting the Lads into top gear. Unless of course, it ends up crocking next season, in which case the Internogo was completely the wrong thing to do and everyone should be sacked.

OK, I'm pleased we've got a chance of UEFA football next year, and no matter what the makems on here might think I'm sure Reyd et al would also take the chance if offered.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

West Ham had one of their best EVER starts when they were in the InterToto...got shagged towards the end of the season. Might have known the Makem bitters would be out. "In our Newcastle slums"...LOL. Can only assume that Superkev not only NEVER goes drinking in Sunderland but never goes there at all.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Full Pre-Season Fixtures (1st Team) Tickets for all of Sunderland's pre-season fixtures will be sold by the opposing clubs only. Full details of ticket prices and how to purchase tickets will be released approximately one month in advance. Tuesday July 17, evening kick-off Calais Racing Union FC   Calais Saturday, July 21 @ 3.00pm Mansfield Town   Field Mill Saturday, July 28 @ 3.00pm Torquay United   Plainmoor Tuesday, July 31 @ 7.45pm Plymouth  Home Park Thursday, August 2, 7.30pm Exeter  St James Park Saturday, August 4, 3.00pm West Bromwich Albion;  The Hawthorns Wednesday, Aug 8, 6.00pm Vitesse Arnhem   Gelredome Friday, August 10, 8.00pm NAC Breda   FujiFilm Stadium

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

FujiFilm Stadium? The shame, the shame...

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

FujiFilm? Not totally negative, Bobby. Snap out of it. Things will develop.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

shouldn't our boys in black and white be playing there ?

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Thanks MacBeth, eight games in 23 days building up to their European jaunt to Breda , along the way gaining confidence with top class games in that hot bed of football Devon, jeez when I was in the mob and based down there we played Guzz (Plymouth) and Exeter every pre-season and beat them, should have included Torquay and based the squad at Fawlty Towers,cream cakes and cider, Inter toto by a mile, why bother?

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

I think Devon's as close as Sunderland have got to playing in Europe in a long time

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

You are forgetting Ball's testimonial, mac, which is easily done unless you are one of the 400 mackems who turned up to their only European fixture in the last 20 years. Shameful.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

don't you mean Ball's testicle, Softie?

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Also what do you think of Sunderland refusal to enter?

I suspect it's because Sunderland can't remember where Europe is. :-) Never mind, the magnificent 28 years unbeaten in Europe run remains intact for yet another season.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

i reckon they could get to 50 :-)

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

I just want to thank you all for a great laugh (especially Sewpa Kev). I'm in such a fantastic mood tonight!!!!!!!!! HA HA HA.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Oh god, the jealousy of these people.

Why can't they just say good luck and go about it amicably? Are they scared that we might do well? I personally would feel nothing but apathy if Sunderland managed to get in, I know for sure their long ball style would get them nowhere in Europe, and with only 2 bookings needed for a suspension, they'd be playing a reserve team by the second round if they got that far.

Instead they compare us to Bradford (??????) who were doomed to go down anyway. I think they lost their first two games in the Intertoto which wouldn't have a major effect on their season.

I hope it can be a case of third time lucky. First time was normal, top 6 finish, failed at that. Second time was Fair Play draw, failed at that. Hopefully this can be the way in. I'm sure if we make it into the UEFA cup this way nobody will complain.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

the reason Sunderland didn't enter is because Peter Reid expected to get into Europe anyway. At the time of entering Sunderland were doing well. He will be kicking himself now.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

A case of the Mackems over-estimating their talent?

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

I doubt this is the reason at all. We did not enter last year either and had ample opportunity to watch how things were panning out and make "a contingency" arrangement if we wanted.

ML3

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

The last two seasons Sunderland were top 3 around Xmas and took the decision then not to play in Europe the following season. Each time the opportunity was there to invest in players to make sure there was some cover in key positions. Each time the decision was made that it was better to consolidate than to speculate and go for a place in Europe.

Leeds are the side who have decided that you need to speculate to get into Europe. This has been rewarded by a top 4 finish and continued European football.

As Sunderland fans are prone to say Newcatsle are going bust, have no money, cannot compete. Sunderland have none of these financial constraints. Their decision is to not speculate but to retain the money within the club. A venture into Europe which in Leeds eyes is an opportunity to improve young players while getting bucketloads of money is not the Sunderland way. They prefer to improve their young players by consolidating into mid table each year. We should respect their ambitions.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

The point you raise is a valid concern among SAFC fans. But SAFC is a PLC with a responsibility to it's shareholders, Leeds United is not. Sometimes unpopular decisions are made.

The "speculate to accumulate" game works both ways, as a Newcastle fan you are probably all too aware. You may earn ££££££££££ in Europe, but then squander it on substandard players.

The fact we did not qualify for Europe through league position suggests to me we do not yet deserve it. This would never cross the mind of a Newcastle fan.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

I thought Leeds was owned by a PLC "Sporting Leeds" or something like that?

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

We won this place on European standings. We both won sod all on league placings. we had a chance of getting in via the fair-play standings as well. We are a cleaner side than you with an infinitely higher European pedigree. Not a very fair system since the same clubs will keep being invited back in, but if you ever get the league placings to start you off (as we did - would have qualified for the Champions League 3 times if the new selection criteria had been in place) then you'll also think it a fair system.

We weren't chosen for being an English side, we were chosen as the highest ranked European side not currently qualified for European competition.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

Leeds are indeed owned by a PLC....

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

but hey, don't let that get in the way of a good excuse

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001