Phil Parkinson continues to struggle at the Stadium of Light, and Sunderland fans have not been slow in coming forward to vent their frustrations with their new but already under-fire boss.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Coventry City left Parkinson with only two wins from his first ten games in charge and saw the Lads drop to tenth in League One. They are still only three points off the playoffs, with games in hand over many of their rivals, but nowhere near where they need to be to match the expectations of their supporters.
It took a ninetieth minute scrambled effort from second-half substitute Benji Kimpioka to earn Sunderland a point after a close-range Dom Hyam header had given the Sky Blues a twenty-sixth-minute lead.
The teenager came on to replace Will Grigg, and his pace, power and enthusiasm instantly freshened up a Sunderland attack that once again looked desperately short of ideas.
Indeed, Parkinson felt the nineteen-year-old ‘lit the place up’ with his important goal and got his side ‘back in the game.’ However, his positive comments did not go down to well with many Sunderland fans on social media. Some supporters pointed out that by the time Kimpioka stabbed home, the vast majority of the 29.809 attendance had already made for the exits.
The reaction is a clear indication that Parkinson has lost the confidence of plenty of the Stadium of Light faithful. If fans can brutally tear apart such throw-away comments, it suggests many Sunderland fans have already more than sharpened the knives for the former Bolton and Bradford boss.
The Black Cats are at home to Burton Albion on Tuesday night. The Brewers have a decent away record this season, and if they manage to get any positive result under the Stadium of Light floodlights, the pressure on Parkinson will surely reach stratospheric levels.
Here is a small flavour of the hostile reaction to his Kimpioka comments on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/shivxxxxxxxx/status/1198308581252227074?s=20
What is he on about we didn't deserve anything from that game. Only reason we stole a point is that Coventry thought they'd done enough and went missing the last 20mins or so. We were awful all over the pitch
— Phil Oates 🇺🇦 (@phil_oates92) November 23, 2019
The only way the place was going to be lit up was if that Coventry fan came back with a flare
— Alan Trueman (@TruemanAlan) November 23, 2019
Lit the place up? Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahaha. He saved it being a whole crowd of boo’s and that’s it.
— kyle (@kylemurg) November 23, 2019
All 10000 that hadn’t left
— Lionel Speccy (@LionelSpeccy) November 23, 2019
Was there anyone left by the time he scored? We left early as I can't walk far atm but there was plenty leaving at the same time
— Alex (@Alisafc2017) November 23, 2019
Back in the game at 90 minutes! Say what? Too little, too late mate…
— Geoff Hall (@ArtsMentoringCo) November 24, 2019
Have followed Sunderland for 40 years and never thought we would sink lower than the McMenemy years, however this team and backroom staff have managed that, very sad
— David Mole (@daveuk85) November 24, 2019
You need to go
— Martin Dagg (@MartinDagg94) November 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/safctim/status/1198508810656256000?s=20
https://twitter.com/Shaun19948296/status/1198325750035832832?s=20
