OSTER SHOOTS TEAM-MATE IN EYE WITH AIRGUN Thursday April 25 2002

A Sunderland reserve team player has undergone an eye operation after he was shot in the face by team-mate John Oster.

Mark Maley was hit in the eye by an air pistol pellet fired by midfielder Oster.

The club refused to say where, when and how the incident took place, or if only one pistol was involved in the incident.

A Sunderland spokeswoman said: "It was an unfortunate accident as neither player believed that their air pistol was loaded. John Oster deeply regrets the incident but this highlights the danger of air guns.

"Mark Maley has had an operation on his eye and is scheduled to (see) a specialist again in the next few days. It is too early to know whether he will need further treatment or what the final outcome will be."

It is understood that the police have not been contacted about the incident.

Newcastle-born Maley, 21, was a former England Schoolboys captain and has played for the Wearside club since the 1998/1999 season.

Welsh midfield international Oster, 23, joined Sunderland from Everton for £1m in the summer of 1999.

He made his name with Grimsby before moving to Everton for £1.5m in July 1997 and made his Goodison debut as a teenager.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Answers

Obviously an accident and hopefully the injured player will make a full recovery.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

First time he's ever hit the target.

ML³

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

.....as neither player believed that their air pistol was loaded

FFS - just what do these guys have between their ears? Surely anybody who is going to "play" with a gun of any sort (capable of firing anything - not a toy gun) has the sense (a) not to point it at anybody and (b) to check whether it is loaded.

I hope the club (if not the police) teach these guys a lesson. (And I'd say the same if it was a couple of our lot as well). Hopefully, Maley will make a full recovery.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Guess he's lucky not to get fired for the incident. I'm sure the club will keep an eye on their future behaviour. The cheek of it.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

They're both crap, with any luck SAFC will take the opportunity to release them from the payroll. Especially Oster, who must be Reidy's illegitimate son for all the preferential treatment he gets. For example Don Hutchison slaps in a transfer request, and he's at West Ham before anyone can say "Jason fecking Macateer". Oster does the same and he gets an extension to his contract while he recovers from injury.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

One for the Darwin Awards.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

ML3

1) Should SAFC sack Reid, Saxton and Heath
2) How many of your players would you keep
3) Are Phillips and Sorenson gonners
If 1) is yes who do you want?

Two of my Mackem mates are fighting about the qualities of the feller at Charlton, one is pro the other just wants to kill people.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

"FFS - just what do these guys have between their ears?" - an airgun pellet I believe....

collects outerwear...

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

"Mark Maley has had an operation on his eye and is scheduled to (see) a specialist again in the next few days" Must be OK then.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

1) Should SAFC sack Reid, Saxton and Heath Yes, they have lost the trust of the fans and players. Reid will find it almost impossible to attract the quality we need in the close season, so should go before then, giving a wiser manager more time and money to rebuild.

2) How many of your players would you keep Phillips, Sorensen, Reyna, Craddock, Thome, Bjorklund, Butler, Arca, Quinn plus perhaps Williams and McAteer as squad players. The rest I would regard as expendable.

3) Are Phillips and Sorenson gonners Did you say gonners or gooners? I hope not, it obviously depends which division we're in. If we're in the Nationwide, I think they will both definitely go. Otherwise, I reckon Sorensen will probably stay and Phillips will probably leave.

4) if 1 is yes who do you want? Ideally, our board would pay top dollar to bring in a top overseas manager like Irureta (sp?) from Deportivo or Toppmoller from Leverkusen and back them to the hilt in the transfer market. Being realistic, I don't think this could happen unless Sunderland were already established in the top six. So my choice would be George Graham, not exactly a purveyor of attractive football, but capable of stabilising the club.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Interesting post ML#3. I think you're correct about Reid et al. Up until this season I'd felt Reidy had done a good job, but whatever the reasons he certainly seems to have lost the faith of the majority of the fans. To an outsider, it also seems that you're equally correct in saying he has lost the confidence of the players which is very always damaging and almost irrepairable (sp?).

Mackems I've spoken to believe Murray would never fire him, so it will probably come down to whether Reidy decides to step down. If he doesn't, I fear you might be in for a spell like we had under Huge Gullet, characterised by damaging in-fighting that could see you in the Nationwide.

If Reidy does leave, I have a funny feeling you're suggestion of GG could prove to be correct. He could be a good choice in a situation requiring stabilisation rather than revolution.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

There was a bit a while ago about how England managers get picked for the wrong reasons. Venables replaced Graham Taylor cos his personality was so big, just the opposite of Venables. Venables sleazy background took over, so whiter than white (at the time) Hoddle took over. Hoddle lost the plot with players and so we needed someone to get a smile going, make the players believe in themselves again. Keegan was that, until he lost the plot too. Having run out of all sorts of English managers we turn to abroad.

Sunderland, up to Reid, made a right mess of chossing managers. Too many mid-season sackings and promotions of back room staff/players who just happened to be inthe right place at the right time. Reid was the first time they stood back and thought about it.

George Graham is not the answer, unless its a pretty stupid question. The man organises, gets things on a nice basis but that's it. Football has moved on form his Arsenal days and he just hasn't got it any more.

What Sunderland need is the next Peter Reid, or even the next George Graham. If I was a Sunderlnad fan my concern would be the thought of say Quinn taking the job on, in a scenario where Reid has lasted to October and then departed and no other manager can be approached.

Newcastle are going to face the same problem in the next couple of years, but there seems to be a sense that Shearer has his eyes on the job, and with Wharton/Beardsley as coaches he could probably do okay.

With 50ish English club managers sacked since the start of the season the feeling is they're all crap, difficult to spot the up and coming ones who are okay.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

....so, the answer is?

If Reidy 'walks' next Saturday night Murray won't have the option to day dream. He will be presiding over a Club in turmoil, and needing a steady hand on the tiller. Get it wrong and they're 'down', no question (assuming they stay up, as I expect).

We know from bitter experience the risks associated with appointing the "best man available" - actually they're both still "available" although I doubt many Toon fans would still tag them the "best available"!

I certainly don't envy Murray if he finds himself in this position.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Yes an interesting post ML3 but I would question the arrival of George Graham, a man who should still be banned from the game for financial irregularity theft.

With Sunderland's excellent attendance figures and the ring of steel around the transfer cheque book, there must be quite a chunk of money sloshing around in the Mackem bank account. In such a scenario I think GG is the last man you need, although his hatred of Shearer will endear him to the fans at least.

I can hear the interview now, after GG has again had his knuckles rapped and been ticked off in the most Draconian manner by the FA, the terrifying words of the FA still ringing in his ears "Don't do it again son".

"So Mr Graham why was £12m of Sunderland's money in your bank account?"

"There was £13 million in there, I simply thought all that cash in one place was unsafe so I put it in my account for safe keeping. No, please don't go on about the Quinn testimonial money - That has nearly all been handed back now".

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2002

some very interesting responses. I would beg to differ MacBeth. For a manager who hasn't got it any more, Graham made a damn good fist of the Leeds and Totenham jobs. In the latter case he was obviously on a hiding to nothing, but even so managed to win them the league cup and get them to an FA Cup semi-final on relatively little money, two achievements that would be acclaimed as "miraculous" by the southern media if the "performing monkey" had achieved them.

But I do accept we need to be looking towards the future, but the risks of employing untried ex-players are monumental. You only need look to Barnes, Nilsson and our very own Terry Butcher to understand the risks. Quinn is an intelligent individual, especially when compared to blood and thunder characters like Reid and Saxton, but I don't think he has the leadership to be a manager. He is on record as saying he has no desire to become a football manager, and has been in the strange position of being club captain off-field but not on for two years. Another likely suggestion would be Kevin Ball: his motivational skills are legendary, but I doubt he lacks the intelligence. Stefan Schwarz or Chris Turner from 'pools are more realistic contenders, but I still think the fans desire for "proven- talent" would make this an unpopular decision and, therefore in the current climate, an unlikely one.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2002