Tense times for the Toon
LAST MAN standing David Moyes aims to prove that stability holds the key to Sunderland’s survival this season.
The Black Cats are the only club in the bottom six to have stuck with the same manager who started the campaign – an unlikely statistic for a club which has operated a revolvingdoor policy for several years.
And while Moyes is the grateful beneficiary, unlike so many of his predecessors who have been fired by this stage of the season, he is determined to show the club are right to keep faith with him.
Defeat at home to Burnley today could see the Black Cats marooned at the foot of the table but it is understood chief executive Martin Bain will stick with his fellow Scot whatever happens this term.
“There’s a lot of good managers who have lost their jobs, which is sad,” said Moyes. “But I’ve got a lot of experience, a lot of Premier League games under my belt, and the players here have a lot of experience of this situation so let’s hope we can pull it together.
“It might prove that it works for some clubs but over the piece, changing managers isn’t the answer. Having stability at a football club would always outweigh changing unless you’re a club that’s always changing managers and spending money.
“But if you want to build a club, you’ve got to have that stability.
“Football management has changed, however. There are less and less people who will get the sort of time that Cloughie, Sir Alex, Arsene Wenger had, or myself at Everton.
“I also think the new breed are probably expecting not to be in jobs for an awful long time.”
Despite leading Sunderland to just five league wins this season and only one in 2017, Moyes’ self-belief remains intact. “I’ve got lots of confidence in my own ability and I also get on well with the chief executive,” he said.
“You should always have a good relationship with your owners and chief execs but I don’t take it for granted. You’ve
SPORT IN BRIEF AND WEEKEND DIARY
RAFA Benitez admits flagging Newcastle are feeling the strain of an arduous campaign.
Injuries and fatigue are starting to bite and the Magpies head to Birmingham today without key defenders Ciaran Clark and DeAndre Yedlin, both of whom face several weeks on the sidelines.
Newcastle looked to be running away with the Championship title after beating chief rivals Brighton and Huddersfield in the space of four days.
But since then they have picked up just one point from two games and Benitez saw worrying signs in the shock 3-1 home defeat against Fulham, particularly from midfielders Jonjo Shelvey and Jack Colback.
“I could see they were a bit short of legs,” he said. “To play so many matches in a row in a few days is not easy, especially when they’re such important games. But you cannot blame them because they were giving everything. I’m still very pleased with them.”
Benitez will either bring in Grant Hanley or switch left-back Paul Dummett to the heart of defence. “Injuries are bad news but we are equipped to deal with it,” he said.
Benitez, meanwhile, is not tempted to keep Florian Thauvin at the club, despite the winger’s call-up to the France squad. Thauvin flopped at St James’ Park last term but has revived his career in a season-long loan at his former club Marseille.
He is set to join them on a permanent basis this summer, with Benitez having no regrets over loaning him out. He said: “We knew when he was here he was a good player but sometimes a player is not settled in a city or a club and he has to go to another place where maybe he is more comfortable.
“With him, it was very clear from day one. We knew what was the best for both. Now I’m happy because he is going with the national team.”
There is a chance for second-placed Brighton to strengthen their grip on one of the automatic promotion places as they visit Leeds, who remain fourth. The Seagulls are level with Newcastle on 77 points.
Leeds’ Liam Bridcutt established himself at Brighton and believes his former team’s pursuit of victory will benefit the hosts at Elland Road.
“Arguably there is a bit more pressure on them but we know what it is going to take to win the game and hopefully we can go out and do that,” he said.
“Brighton will be looking to come here and win, so it could probably suit us.”