Vito Mannone plans whip-round to reimburse travelling Sunderland fans after 8-0 Saints defeat
The Black Cats goalkeeper says he will personally speak to his teammates and attempt to reimburse the fans who made the 660-mile round trip
Steve Bardens
Embarrassed: Mannone picked the ball out of his net eight times
Vito Mannone has offered to organise a whip-round among Sunderland players to reimburse the 2,500 fans who saw their team thrashed 8-0 by Southampton.
Shellshocked goalkeeper Mannone volunteered to take charge of Operation Refund personally by way of apology to the legions who made an almost 660-mile round trip to watch the 8-0 hammering at St Mary’s.
The rout, which equalled Sunderland’s record heaviest defeat, left Gus Poyet’s menfourth from bottom and facing another relegation scrap after last season’s great escape.
And Mannone, who faces the axe for Saturday’s home game with Arsenal, admitted: “We have to feel embarrassed for ourselves and take some anger into our next game to produce a performance.
“It is a low point for everyone. I will personally talk to the team to see if it is possible to pay for our fans’ tickets and their trip. It is difficult for us but it is difficult for them as well.
“They are special fans – we are really lucky to be at this club and, if it was me, I would probably not have reacted in the same way as them.
“I really mean that we should pay for their tickets and travel, I will do everything possible to organise it. We should do it because we didn’t put our foot in, we didn’t work hard.
“We threw in the towel, and I include myself. Each one of us in the team should do our best to make them feel proud of this club and not have to go through 8-0 defeats.
“I can only remember conceding that many goals in training, and I take all the responsibility I can take for each goal,” said Mannone.
Sunderland’s pathetic display, which began with Santiago Vergini’s brainstorm own goal – a spectacular volley from 18 yards – was their worst result for 32 years since another 8-0 thrashing at Watford in September 1982.
Poyet faces a grilling from owner Ellis Short over the second-half apocalypse on the south coast after Sunderland shipped five goals in 23 minutes.
The Black Cats boss admitted: “It is the most embarrassing time I’ve had in football.
“I cannot watch it again, but I learned a lot about the players. Some of them gave up, and I know who they are for the future.”
Cost to go and watch Sunderland lose 8-0 in Southampton:
Match ticket: £32
Copy of Saturday’s Daily Mirror: 80p
Petrol for 652-mile round trip: £64 per person (based on two people sharing a car)
Visit to SeaCity Museum (optional) £8.50
Pre-match pint in Jumpin’ Jaks: £4
Half-time cuppa: £2.50 (most expensive in the Premier League!)
Post-match drinking to forget: £12-£25
Fish, chips and curry sauce on the long drive home to the North East: £10
Total: £133.80
Goal-by-goal
1-0: Santiago Vergini scores an (incredible) own-goal
Action Images
2-0: Graziano Pelle doubles the lead
Getty
Vito Mannone has offered to organise a whip-round among Sunderland players to reimburse the 2,500 fans who saw their team thrashed 8-0 by Southampton.
Shellshocked goalkeeper Mannone volunteered to take charge of Operation Refund personally by way of apology to the legions who made an almost 660-mile round trip to watch the 8-0 hammering at St Mary’s.
The rout, which equalled Sunderland’s record heaviest defeat, left Gus Poyet’s menfourth from bottom and facing another relegation scrap after last season’s great escape.
And Mannone, who faces the axe for Saturday’s home game with Arsenal, admitted: “We have to feel embarrassed for ourselves and take some anger into our next game to produce a performance.
“It is a low point for everyone. I will personally talk to the team to see if it is possible to pay for our fans’ tickets and their trip. It is difficult for us but it is difficult for them as well.
“They are special fans – we are really lucky to be at this club and, if it was me, I would probably not have reacted in the same way as them.
“I really mean that we should pay for their tickets and travel, I will do everything possible to organise it. We should do it because we didn’t put our foot in, we didn’t work hard.
“We threw in the towel, and I include myself. Each one of us in the team should do our best to make them feel proud of this club and not have to go through 8-0 defeats.
“I can only remember conceding that many goals in training, and I take all the responsibility I can take for each goal,” said Mannone.
Sunderland’s pathetic display, which began with Santiago Vergini’s brainstorm own goal – a spectacular volley from 18 yards – was their worst result for 32 years since another 8-0 thrashing at Watford in September 1982.
Poyet faces a grilling from owner Ellis Short over the second-half apocalypse on the south coast after Sunderland shipped five goals in 23 minutes.
The Black Cats boss admitted: “It is the most embarrassing time I’ve had in football.
“I cannot watch it again, but I learned a lot about the players. Some of them gave up, and I know who they are for the future.”
Cost to go and watch Sunderland lose 8-0 in Southampton:
Match ticket: £32
Copy of Saturday’s Daily Mirror: 80p
Petrol for 652-mile round trip: £64 per person (based on two people sharing a car)
Visit to SeaCity Museum (optional) £8.50
Pre-match pint in Jumpin’ Jaks: £4
Half-time cuppa: £2.50 (most expensive in the Premier League!)
Post-match drinking to forget: £12-£25
Fish, chips and curry sauce on the long drive home to the North East: £10
Total: £133.80
Goal-by-goal
1-0: Santiago Vergini scores an (incredible) own-goal
Action Images
2-0: Graziano Pelle doubles the lead
Getty
3-0: Jack Cork sends them in three up at the break
Getty
4-0: Liam Bridcutt puts one past his own keeper
Ian Horrocks
5-0: Graziano Pelle gets his second
Action Images
6-0: The brilliant Dusan Tadic nets another
7-0: Victor Wanyama scores a seventh inside a minute
BPI
8-0: Sadio Mane ties things up
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