COLEMAN IN DARK ABOUT BLACK CATS
CHRIS COLEMAN admits he cannot “see beyond the summer” at Sunderland.
The former Wales boss says he only has eyes on keeping the Black Cats in the Championship, and cannot personally plan beyond that.
The club is up for sale, with owner Ellis Short restricting investment, leaving Coleman only with a slim chance of a major revamp even if they survive.
Coleman (above) takes his relegationthreatened side to play-off contenders Bristol City today, admitting they are “staring into the abyss” and in a “tornado” of negativity.
He said: “I don’t think anyone can look any further than the end of the season, none of us. The club’s where it is – the owner wants to sell. Will he have by then? I’m not sure. I’m not sure about investment, I don’t know any of that.
“All I know is we’ve got to stay in this league. Once we’ve done that I’ll sit down with Martin Bain, the chief executive and say, ‘What is the plan?’
“I really don’t know about next year. I don’t think any manager can go forward without a plan for the season so of course I need to know what’s required, what’s available.
“At the minute, we don’t know and that creates negativity, instability and all those nasty words.”
Coleman believes Sunderland, in the relegation zone, with five defeats in six games, are “not a hopeless case”
He rates the crisis as the toughest of his career and wants his players to break down the “psychological barriers” of their slump after years of torment and instability.
He added: “People start to lose belief and you get the life sucked out of you then. You start to think we can’t improve and we won’t get any better. Go behind. We don’t come back from it.
“You can’t give up. Don’t just say this club is getting relegated, let’s all go home. It’s a psychological barrier we have to break down. If you’re of the doom and gloom mindset you attract the worse.”
City go into the game with boss Lee Johnson hailing striker Lois Diony as a £10million player.
The Frenchman joined on loan from St Etienne last month and Johnson said: “This is a £10m player we’ve got. Six months ago he scored 11 goals in the top division in France. For me it’s an unbelievable signing.”