Familiar struggle surfaces for Cats

Feb 27 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

Sunderland were not supposed to be fighting relegation again. Chief Sports Writer Luke Edwards asked Kieran Richardson why a bright future has given way to a depressingly familiar present

ON paper, Sunderland’s squad is far too strong to be involved in another relegation scrap. The only problem is this view is not worth the paper it is written on.

Kieran Richardson has fought bravely against relegation three times in his career and lived to tell the tale as a Premier League player.

On two separate occasions, once with West Bromwich Albion and again with Sunderland last season, he has slipped the noose on the final day.

They have been tense, traumatic tales with the relief of a happy ending, but it was not a story he thought he would ever hear repeated this season.

“When you look at the squad we’ve got here, not only does it look stronger than all those teams below us in the table, but also a few above us as well,” said Richardson, who is hoping to get a prolonged spell in midfield rather than at left-back between now and end of the season. “I certainly wouldn’t swap this squad with any other in the bottom half of the table. Definitely not, but football is not about what it looks like on paper, it is all about going out there and delivering.

“We have quality players here but for the last three months or so, it’s not been good for any of us. We made a great start, we were flying and all of us thought ‘hey, it’s going to be a great season.’ Then we hit a rough patch that none of us really saw coming.

“That’s the thing about football. It can just change like that. Hopefully, it can change around just as suddenly, starting on Sunday against Fulham.

“Everyone still believes in each other and the players still have faith in the manager and coaching staff here. And we feel there is still time to get this season back on track.”

Football is full of disappointments, downfalls and disasters, but they always sting more when they have been preceded by the promise of better things.