Problems began before season started – Moyes

CAMPAIGN ‘LOWS’ REVEALED

SUNDERLAND’S miserable relegation campaign has exposed cracks in the dressing room, admits David Moyes.

The Black Cats’ 10-year stay in the Premier League comes to an end tomorrow as the Wearsiders bow out with a trip to champions Chelsea.

A season that has so far included 25 defeats and only six victories has led to dressing-room problems, with a number of players known to be eyeing an end-of-season exit – at least one since last summer.

“It has been more difficult than anything I’ve ever experienced at any other club and any other season, but I do think that comes from losing,” Moyes (right) said.

“When you’re losing, nobody is happy, all small things are looked at and discussed – when you’re winning, you sweep them under the carpet and move on.”

Fabio Borini said last month that there had been friction in the dressing room, but Moyes hinted the problems began as early as August, even before Sunderland’s first home game against Middlesbrough.

Asked if there were any particular lows, he said: “Before the second game of the season against Middlesbrough, I had a couple of moments, in private, before the game – things that I’d seen and heard which made me think things weren’t good. “There’s been lots of things in the journey that you wish had been better.” With a change of manager just three weeks before the season kicked off at Manchester City, Sunderland’s squad was short of numbers and low on quality when the campaign began. Reflecting on the season, Moyes said: “It was an eyeopener when I saw the squad, that we had available. If you look at our team against Manchester City on the opening day of the season, what we had and could choose from, it was a clear indication we were short.

“To start the season that way, when you’ve been around the bottom for three or four years, you can’t do it.

“It has been an incredibly tough season, right from the start.

“I think we made it known right from the off that we felt our squad would be short; we’d be having difficulties this year.

“The lateness of the start, even before I came in, Sam [Allardyce, his predecessor] hadn’t brought it any players.

“We had a short period to do it and we didn’t then make any real significant signings in January – we made a profit.

“All year, we’ve maybe just been a little bit behind it.”