Promotion is a realistic goal ... why would you start a season without any ambition to be in the next division?
NEW CATS BOSS GRAYSON WANTS A WINNING CULTURE ON WEARSIDE
SIMON Grayson says he has already been inundated with players who want to come to Sunderland but is only interested in those who can help him create a winning culture.
The 47-year-old former Blackpool, Leeds United, Huddersfield Town and Preston North End manager promised to be realistic in his new job – and said promotion was an achievable goal next season.
Grayson’s first signing was made on his first full day as manager, John O’Shea agreeing a new oneyear contract.
The Republic of Ireland international will be asked to bring through some of the youngsters at the club who Grayson says will be given their chance to impress at a five-day Austrian training camp starting today. “Promotion’s a realistic ambition for every team,” he said when asked.
“Why do you start a new season without any ambition to be in the next division? “We’ve got some good players here and I’d like to think we’ll bring some more and we’ll be competitive, and this season we achieve what everybody wants to achieve.”
Grayson mentioned recruitment more than once as one of his strengths, saying he would not have the Championship’s biggest or smallest budget. At the same time,
he will look carefully at those he inherits. When you look at the squad there’s plenty of work still to be done but I want to give the younger players an opportunity as well,” he stressed.
“There are some talented young players – (George) Honeyman, (Lynden) Gooch and (Elliot) Embleton. Maybe they didn’t play as much in the Premier League but it’s a different level in the Championship.
“There’s some good 18-year-old strikers (Joel Asoro and Josh Maja) as well but they do need some guidance and help from other players because of the number of games you have in the Championship.
It was clear not just from what he said but his demeanour in his first Press conference that Grayson is looking to create a more optimistic atmosphere.
“It’s going to be about bringing out the positivity in the current players and managing players in a different way to what they’ve been used to but also bringing in players with the right character to rub off on the existing squad,” he explained.
“It’s got to be the right people [coming in]. They’ve got to have the heart, the desire, the will to win, never-say-die attitude and team spirit I’ve tried to create at every football club I’ve been at.” “Once it got announced I was in talks my phone was going – players who have been with me at other clubs, players who didn’t
know me, agents. We will hopefully move quickly to enhance the squad.
“We’re close to appointing a chief scout (Ian Miller from Preston). He did a great job for me previously and hopefully we can get some key players in who can really make a difference.
“This club, when it gets going like it can, then it can snowball quickly.
“Sam (Allardyce) managed it the season before last when it stayed up – this place can be rocking again in the future and we want to give the city a club to be proud of.”
Grayson’s appointment had been held up because owner Ellis Short was looking to sell the club, but chief executive Martin Bain was at pains to point out that is no longer the case.
“There was a period of a lot of speculation about people being interested and as the season closed people approached us, a couple of parties – one maybe more so than the other,” he explained.
“Those talks gathered a fair degree of momentum in terms of diligence and everything else but we knew how disruptive it would be to the season, which is why Ellis put a deadline on it.
“I believe there’s a degree of momentum and confidence of what we can maybe achieve now.
“I spoke to (Short) prior to this Press conference knowing the question would be asked are we for sale or not and he was still very much, ‘No, we’re not for sale.’
“The talks have finished, I think that’s a clear message.”
Fabio Borini’s departure to AC Milan, on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy, has also been confirmed.