Boss: Fans should enjoy Cats’ start to campaign
... BUT GRAYSON WILL BE STAYING LEVEL-HEADED
SIMON Grayson is remaining resolutely level-headed about Sunderland’s early results - but insists he will do nothing to stop the fans enjoying their team’s positive start.
The Black Cats’ weekend win at Norwich City means they have collected four points from their first two Championship games, having drawn their season-opener against Derby County at the Stadium of Light, and their win at Bury last week means they have also cleared the first hurdle in the Carabao Cup.
Almost as important as the results have been the performances, with the supporters enthused by the effort and commitment shown by the team in all three games.
Grayson has been around long enough to know it will not be all plain sailing this season but is delighted to have given the fans some early success.
He said: “We have started the season in a decent manner with four points from the first two games and now we go to Sheffield Wednesday for another tough game – but we have to remain level-headed.
“We are not getting carried away with ourselves because we know the twists and turns which can happen in the Championship over the course of the season.
“I want the fans to enjoy what we are doing and the positive results, and embrace it.
“Our supporters are intelligent. They know we are not going to go through the season unbeaten – although it would be nice if we could! – and we will suffer the disappointments together and enjoy the positives together.
“It is nice for the supporters to see winning football and to enjoy themselves, because over the years they have suffered and there have been a lot of times when they have gone away and been unhappy with the situation.
“I don’t want to stop them enjoying positive results. It has to be tinged with a bit of realism as well because it will not happen every week and when we do lose the odd game here or there they should not be too pessimistic either because hopefully we will be able to get back to winning ways quickly.
“I am certainly not going to dampen them down because they have not had much to cheer about over a period of time.”
Sunderland’s promising performance against Derby was followed by Grayson’s first competitive win as Black Cats boss at Bury and then his first league win at Norwich.
The next milestones he is aiming for are a victory at Hillsborough in midweek, which would complete back-to-back wins, and then a first home success when old club Leeds United visit Wearside on Saturday.
He added: “The milestones keep coming thick and fast. If we can get through the rest of August then we will have had a great start because the Championship is so tough.
“To get performances and victories early is crucial for any new manager.”