Sensible decision behind withdrawal of Hume – Ross
Denver Hume was hauled off at half-time for the second time this season but Jack Ross insists it was a ‘sensible’ decision with the full-back on a booking and tricky Bolton winger Thibaud Verlinden targeting him.
Hume wasn’t the only Sunderland player to struggle in a poor first half showing against basement side Bolton Wanderers, who took the lead five minutes into the second half through Jack Hobbs.
An Aiden McGeady penalty rescued a late point.
On the decision to replace Hume, Ross said: “It's not an easy decision for a manager particularly when he's a young player and he's already had that this season.
“Theperspectivecanbethat you're hanging someone out to dry but far from it, it's done on a more sensible manner that's he's been booked and he's playing against a wide player who's getting at him at every opportunity.
“It then affects your decision-makingintermsofmaking tackles and that was probably evidentsowehadtomakeasensible decision in that way.
“Conor earlier in the season struggledonhiswrongsideand I thought he looked far more comfortable on his right side andLuke(O'Nien)isafairlytwofooted player.
“It's not an ideal scenario to be forced into but I think it was the right decision at the right time.”
Ross made four changes, Marc McNulty missing out with a hamstring problem, while Alim Ozturk, who felt his hamstring against Rotherham, was benched along with Conor McLaughlin and Dylan McGeouch.
Ross added: “We had to make some changes and Marc was completely ruled out with a hamstring injury, which is why he came off in midweek as well. There are reasons why we dothings,justbecausewedon't publicise them beforehand.”
McGeady missed a penalty inthedrawwithRotherhambut steppeduptosnatchapointfor Sunderland at the death. “We'd spoken during the week about whowouldhaveresponsibility– I'dspokentoLynden,Aiden.He wanted to take the next one. If he'd missed the next one that becomes a different conversation but I think he deserved to takethenextonebecauseofhis recordingeneral,hischaracter and temperament.”