Roker Rapport Podcast

Not too many sleeps until Blackburn at home/Christmas so our Gavin Henderson and Craig Chapman got together to chat all things Sunderland AFC - from our 1-1 draw away at Hull on Saturday to the Ross Stewart contract situation, as well as looking at where we are and where we might want to go in the Championship this season! What’s the crack? It’s really nice to have the Loch Ness Drogba back in time for Christmas isn’t it? Only took a few minutes for him to remind us what we’ve been missing without him. How did the lads rate the performances against Hull on Saturday? Could Mowbray do with being a little more ruthless with his team selections and a touch more timely with his subs? Two in, two out - The lads discuss the impact of losing a Danny Batth for a Dan Ballard and the loss of Embleton to what seems to be a very bad injury that could sideline him for some time; Where do we stand as a club heading into the few fixtures before the January window opens - do we expect/want a couple smart signings from Speakman to plug a few gaps, and what areas do we think need strengthening? Craig makes a heartfelt Christmas wish/plea to Ross Stewart to sign a contract extension and stay another day/couple of years…Updates on the SCSK and Roker Report Christmas Fundraiser - as the club very kindly has pledged £1 from every ticket sold for our boxing day fixture against Blackburn!All this and so much more!Everyone at RR - aye even Gav though you wouldn't think it to hear him say it - would like to wish a very Merry Christmas to each and every one of you! Ha’way the Lads! #SAFC #SoupKitchen22 #EFLChampionship #EFLWhile you're here, we are again calling on #SAFC fans and our friends to help raise money for Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen, who are in need of our help so they can help the most vulnerable people on Wearside. If you can donate to or even share the appeal, it would mean a great deal to many people. For more information visit the fundraiser page here and thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19 Des 20221h 2min

You may have seen Martin around of late chatting to people about his brilliant new book - On Days Like These - so our Chris Wynn managed to wrangle an interview with a man who has had his heart both broken and buoyed in pretty equal measure by Sunderland AFC; talking about his love of the club, his time as a player under Cloughie, his many achievements in the game - and his failures as he sees them - as well as a fair few thoughts on his time in charge of his boyhood club! What's the crack?Where do we begin? A ridiculous number of trophies and cups across decades in the game as a player and a manager - how did Martin come to support the Lads, and how much did Charlie Hurley have to do with it all? What are his earliest and fondest memories of following the Lads, and when Sunderland were knocked out of the Cup in '64, who was in more pain? A young Martin O'Neill or a gutted Sunlun captain?His first memories of visiting Roker Park as a player for Nottingham Forest; Martin's relationship with the legendary Brian Clough; did they ever talk about their shared fondness for Sunderland? What was he like to play for when things weren't going so well? When writing his book, Martin tried to approach each era by examining how he thought at the time - so naturally has it resulted in changing his thoughts on any particular part of his life and career? Breaking into management; Martin talks about his belief that trying to prove yourself at a side lower down the pyramid - say in the National League for example - isn't always the best idea; His successes at Leicester, facing Peter Reid's Sunderland in the cup and getting closer to the job he'd always wanted; It's your time; The call for help from Niall Quinn, the discussions with the club and making the decision to sign - was that the right decision looking back? Did he make it with his head or his heart? His struggles with the Sunderland ownership over players, trying to earn enough brownie points to be able to sign lads who hadn't already retired and looking at the way the club was running behind the scenes and on the pitch; The moments of magic he experienced; though by his own admission things didn't work out the way he imagined they would, how did it feel to finally walk out as Sunderland manager, and what are his favourite memories of his time at the club? The next chapter; what does the future hold for Martin O'Neill now? All this and so much more! An absolute privilege and an absolute gent, enjoy! While you're here, we are again calling on #SAFC fans and our friends to help raise money for Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen, who are in need of our help so they can help the most vulnerable people on Wearside. If you can donate to or even share the appeal, it would mean a great deal to many people. For more information visit the fundraiser page here and thank you!#SAFC #EFLChampionship #MON #MartinONeill #Interview #SoupKitchen22 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Des 20221h 2min

Our Phil West and Craig Chapman sat down - following the England win over Senegal of course aye - late Sunday night to quickly go over the events of Saturday afternoon, and to celebrate a pretty decent weekend overall! What's the crack? So Josh Kelly won the British light-middleweight belt - the Lads put three past Millwall at the Stadium of Light - our bairns battered Liverpool's bairns - the Lasses battered Coventry - Hendo and Pickers helped England to another World Cup victory… Aye it's not been a bad weekend for Sunlun overall.What did Phil and Craig make of the vital victory over the Lions on Saturday - a fairly ineffective first half performance was overshadowed by a thoroughly dominant second half from the Lads; AMAD LAD WE LOVE YOU - Ah man he's too good isn't he. Pritch got to stick the boot in for his beloved West Ham and made it absolutely clear that he does indeed hate Millwall, just lucky they don't care...Simms strikes again - a few people seem to be questioning his commitment but he's not paying them much attention and scoring anyway;Danny Batth was immense yet again - is he the best CB we've had since the PL? We're looking pretty good this season all things considered - has Craig started to look up rather than just settling for safety? It's tempting.All this and more somehow packed into a pod half the usual length, as we've got a lot more to bring you this week! Ha'way the Lads! #SAFC #EFLChampionship #EFL #SoupKitchen22 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Des 202221min

We're back - and it's all getting very busy at podcast HQ - as our Chris Wynn chats to the BBC's Karl Bates about Millwall's trip north to face the Lads in what will be a temporary reprieve from the World Cup for a few hours this Saturday! What's the crack? How long has Karl been covering Millwall for the BBC, and where do his football allegiances lie?In a Roker Rapport first we have a countdown champion on the pod - does Karl still have the teapot to prove it? How has Gary Rowett been getting on down at the Den, and did he welcome the World Cup break as much as Tony Mowbray did? RR are of course pleased to hear George Honeyman is rated 7/10 by Millwall journalists and fans…Who are the Lions best performers this season and are the fans slightly nervous about keeping hold of players like Zian Flemming? How should Mowbray expect Rowett to set up against us this Saturday - Karl gives us his likely lineup for the match; Are Millwall expecting to come away with three points, and are they happy flirting with the playoff spots in the Championship this season? All this and more. Ha'way the Lads! #SAFC #EFLChampionship #Millwall #EFL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 Des 202228min

Thought we’d have a bit of a look at how we got to this point in the season - so our Chris Wynn, Martin Wanless and Phil West jumped on at some insane hour over the weekend to give their thoughts on that Amad assist, that Amad goal, the return of Simms to full active duties, some more talk about Ross Stewart’s contract and looking beyond the World Cup break. What’s the crack?As the lads decided to record this immediately after the game to take full advantage of all that adrenaline - How does everyone feel after that result - especially the chest clutching finish that nearly killed half the fanbase? AMAD LAD STRIKES AGAIN - Some talent isn’t he - with an assist for Ellis Simms first goal since returning from injury, to his magnificent strike in the second half… well it was his pitch on the night.PATTO - 22 years old and getting better all the time.A couple lads returned from injury and we’re all very pleased to see it; A nice long break; with the World Cup coming up and the Lads off for a nice trip to Dubai to warm up a little, how are we feeling knowing we’ll be returning to league action with the likes of Ross Stewart back in the starting eleven? What did Martin and Phil make of the KLD/Speakman/Jones talk? Martin has a few things to say about the Rossco contract situation and how buying low and selling high is something we should maybe be thinking about; Looking back at the season and how far we’ve come; are we going into the World Cup break in a pretty decent position all things considered?Are we confident we’ll be far more comfortable come the January transfer window? Phil predicts the downfall of Gareth Southgate; something when England win the World Cup we can refer to as #WestSouthGate or #SouthWestGate or whatever works…All this and more! Listen in!#SAFC #EFLChampionship #EFL #WorldCup2022 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Nov 202258min

We went a bit quiet after the weekend and you would've had a match review but *a lot has happened since off the field* so our Chris Wynn and Craig 'The Artist formerly known as the Angryman' Chapman reconvened very late last night to have a chat about everything from the loss to Cardiff, some crowd trouble, the talk given by KLD to fans alongside Speakman and Jones, and looking ahead to Birmingham away! Aye.What's the crack? EVERYTHING MAN - The lads had no real instruction beyond 'cover everything' and that's exactly what they've done. That performance against Cardiff City at the weekend; wasn't great was it…The crowd performance against Cardiff City at the weekend; wasn't great was it…The talk at Pop Recs as Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, Kristjaan Speakman, Dave Jones and the rest had a chat with fans about their plans for the future, and the state of play as things stand; The Rossco Panic - Could the club avoid mayhem by maybe broadcasting these fan meetings to the wider base? Also… are we all ready to let go of the big man? The idea behind sustainability in the EFL pyramid and looking at our progress in the Championship so far this season; What predictions surrounding our visit to Birmingham this Friday night do the lads have? Patience is key this season isn't it? Or are people genuinely concerned we won't be able to survive come May next year?All this and much more! Thanks for listening! #SAFC #KLD #EFL #EFLChampionship Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Nov 202256min

Our Gav and Chris got together for the second time this week late last night to react to a vital SAFC away win against the Terriers down at a wet and windy John Smith's Stadium and to look ahead to our return home against Cardiff City this Saturday! What's the crack? We won and we're all pretty happy about it, but conditions weren't great throughout the first half; what did the lads make of the first 45? ALEX F***ING PRITCHARD; A great goal against his former side and an even better celebration 👉😘👈 AMAD LAD; Another great performance topped off with a great goal (that myself and others absolutely didn't think was scored by young Jewi Bennette) but we're falling in love with a loan player again lads and lasses - we'll enjoy him as long as we have him… OH ABDOULLAH, HE MAKES ME HAPPY; Some performance by our young midfielder after his introduction in the second half - the only way is up for this lad! A fantastic performance (and goal celebration) from our Luke O'Nien - think he's allowed a little smile after that aye? Jay Matete was a welcome sight in that second half with some great challenges, and Ellis Simms made a big impact despite not scoring; Both up for a start soon? Gav and Chris discuss the upcoming Cardiff fixture at the Stadium of Light, and make some bold predictions... Aye. All this and much more! Ha'waaaay the Lads!#SAFC #EFLChampionship #EFL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 Nov 202237min

Our dynamic duo of Gav Henderson and Chris Wynn got together to discuss the amazing last minute 'hand of cod' equaliser from Alex Bass against the scu… nah only joking - this was recorded prior to that hilarious moment - instead we're covering the Lads trip to Luton at the weekend in the Championship, Embo's equaliser, and looking ahead to Huddersfield on Wednesday night! What's the crack? Luton is a terrible place, congratulations to the travelling support for making it back home. So what did the lads make of Sunderland's performance against the might of Luton Town? Was that a deserved equaliser after falling behind late in the first half? BREAKING; The ref was a bit shite again… EMBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO etcWith quite a few decent individual performances, the lads discuss the talent of the side and try work out who stood out above the rest; We have strikers again! Well.. we have one striker back at least - so what did we make of the return of Ellis Simms? How did the lads rate Tony Mowbray's 800th career match as a manager - could his game management be further improved or are people being slightly harsh with their criticism? Looking ahead to Huddersfield on Wednesday night - How do the lads think we'll be shaping up on our trip to the John Smith's Stadium? All this and more! Thanks for listening! Ha'way the Lads! #SAFC #EFLChampionship #EFL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 Nov 20221h 5min