OUR PLACE IN THE SUN
Black Cats boss Neil: These are the moments for clubs, players and fans we all remember SUNDERLAND v WYCOMBE
ALEX NEIL remembers feeling “exhausted” immediately after bossing Norwich to the Premier League via the play-off final.
But in May 2015, he’d only been in the job four months when he walked away from Wembley forever part of the Norfolk club’s history.
Today he wants his players to have the same feeling – victory against Wycombe will win a place in the Championship and make the likes of Ross Stewart and Jack Clarke heroes.
Neil said: “Those days stick with me forever, and that is what these lads will find out on Saturday. In these big moments you are judged as a manager or player.
“Irrespective of what level you have played at, and how much money you have made, no one remembers you for that.
“They remember you for the key moments. Those are the key moments that live forever with fans and clubs.
“A chance to be a hero? Well, Norwich’s play-off win is synonymous with me and my career, that is what people remember me for, especially those at Norwich and nobody can take that away from you.
“Boro had beaten us
6-1 on aggregate that season, I was only there for one of those games.
They were favourites.
The game was finished after 25 minutes, we had put it to bed.
“You have a chance. This is what the hard work is for, to get to this point and be someone who can do something special for a lot of people.”
Neil (with the Championship play-off trophy, above) reckons the experience of playing under constant “scrutiny” and big crowds at the Stadium of Light will help his players. He said: “There is a lot riding on it. We have experience and quality, and guys that can handle the big occasion. You can’t come and play for a team like Sunderland and not come under scrutiny.
“You can’t play here and not be under pressure and have expectations on your shoulders. That is part of the job, Wembley is part of the job. If we don’t win a game, it is deemed not good enough. That is the expectation carried here.”
So what would a win mean? “It’ll start the next phase for this club,” the 40-year-old Black Cats boss added.
“Whether it’s transformational or not, I’m not quite convinced. To get back to where we want to be as a club, the next stage and getting out of League One is fundamental to that. You’d want it sooner rather than later.
“There’s a bit of optimism, which is nice, and a bit of anticipation. We’re not naive, we know there’s a lot riding on this one game.”