BLEAK CATS
Worried Grayson admits another relegation is real possibility
SIMON GRAYSON reeled off the clubs: “Man City, Leeds, Forest...”
And he said with candour: “All big teams who have gone down into League One. No club is too big to go down.”
The Sunderland boss added swiftly: “We are not thinking about that. But we must be aware of where we are.”
A fourth consecutive home defeat shoved the Black Cats into the bottom three. As bleak as it’s looked on Wearside in the last 20 years.
Owner Ellis Short, and those who run his club, has been making poor calls for years.
But his decision to slash budgets, and hand Grayson only £1.25million to spend on 10 players, has left Sunderland withering away as a footballing force.
Short is managing decline so Sunderland doesn’t cost him any more money, leaving the club shrinking in stature – almost by the week.
Grayson’s men were barely permitted a kick by Cardiff in the first half and made awful mistakes to gift goals.
The last time they were this low, Niall Quinn was chairman and appointed Roy Keane to spark a revival. Grayson (below) is no Keane, but he should have the experience to diffuse the brewing crisis and stave off the threat of relegation.
He said: “Look, I am under pressure because we have lost another game and there is pressure I put on myself.
“I don’t like being in this position where we have lost another game, but I have 650-plus games under my belt – and I know what is required as a manager to get a successful team going again. We are not doing the right things at the moment.” Neil Warnock’s Bluebirds are flying high in third and tackle table-toppers Leeds, his former club, tomorrow. Warnock said: “It’s going to a great atmosphere. We’ve had 21,000 fans already in and I’m hoping with this result it’s going to be 25,000. “They will bring a full contingent of fans and it will be buzzing. “Leeds and Wolves have done brilliantly, Leeds probably better because they’ve not spent the money Wolves have.
It’s great to see the club do well, it’s a fabulous club.
“I really enjoyed myself there but it was difficult circumstances, it was the wrong place at the wrong time – and the wrong chairman!
“The feeling of being at the top is good but I’m 68, so I don’t get carried away.”
SUNDERLAND: Ruiter 6, Browning 5, Kone 4, Wilson 4, Matthews 4, Ndong 4 (Asoro 79), Cattermole 4, Oviedo 5 (Robson 79), Honeyman 4 (McGeady 60, 5), Gooch 6, Vaughan 5
CARDIFF: Etheridge 7, Richards 7, Morrison 7, Ecuele Manga 7, Bennett 7, Gunnarsson 7 (Bamba 90), Ralls 7, Bryson 7, Feeney 7 (Hoilett 68, 7), Zohore 7 (Bogle 85), Mendez-Laing 7