It will not always be this bad... I hope I am here to witness that
COLEMAN WANTS TO STAY IF CATS RELEGATED – BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE UP TO HIM
CHRIS Coleman says Sunderland’s relegation fate will not determine his future on Wearside.
The Black Cats are bottom of the Championship and running out of time to avoid dropping into League One.
Despite being so far unable to reverse the club’s decline since taking over in November, Coleman retains the support of the overwhelming majority of Sunderland fans who recognise his hands have been tied by owner Ellis Short’s refusal to bankroll any transfer spending in January - leaving the former Wales boss having to rely on loan signings.
With Sunderland on the edge of a precipice, fans are concerned Coleman could leave in the summer – particularly if the club are relegated.
Yet the Welshman insists he will not walk out on the club, although he admits much will depend on whether Short or any new owner wants him to stay.
He said: “My contract is this season plus two more.
“I have to be careful what I say because I don’t want people to think I am being defeatist – which I am certainly not – but it is not about what league we are in, it will be about who owns the club and what is the plan.
“Because they might not have me in their plans.
“If I am not here, it will not be because I have said ‘that is it.’
“I came here because I wanted to manage Sunderland AFC and it will still be Sunderland AFC at the end of the season no matter where it is, and I very much want to be a part of that.
“Yet I cannot say who is going to be here above me because I don’t know.
“Ellis does not want to be here and if the club are sold to a new owner, whoever that might be, I hope I am in their plans.
“I want to be here, that is what I signed up for. I would not have signed the contract otherwise.”
Coleman won three of his first eight games in charge but has managed only one win in the next 11 league matches - and is honest enough to admit that he has not ‘pulled up any trees’ so far.
However he remains resolute in his belief the club’s fortunes will change for the better and he wants to be here when that happens.
He added: “I came here when we were in the bottom three, there was no guarantee we would stay up.
“I was hoping we would pull away from the relegation zone but it has not quite materialised.
“I have not pulled up any trees here yet, I know that.
“I came here to manage Sunderland AFC, in whatever league that is.
“I keep saying, I don’t know when it will be – six months, a year, two years – the club will turn round, it will not always be this bad. “I hope I am here to witness that. “It will not be about what league we are in, I am here because I want to manage Sunderland AFC.
“I don’t know who is going to come in and buy the club, if someone buys the club, but that is the uncertainty, not me saying ‘that is it’ – absolutely not.”
Coleman still believes he can lead Sunderland to safety but, even if that proves impossible, he wants to head the long-term rebuilding project which is needed on Wearside regardless of which division the club is in next season.
He said: “If you have been in football long enough, it is not often everything goes swimmingly well all the time.
“You get moments when it is dark and there is an incredible amount of pressure and stress because you are failing and losing and people are looking at you differently and judging you.
“I’ve had all that, I have witnessed it all. I have had good times and bad. “I just know when you start building something and it becomes positive and you are a part of that it is the most incredible feeling. “I could not imagine what it would be like at a club of this size to get it turned round and heading in the right direction. “It is the opposite right now – everything is dark and gloomy. “I feel that, I do, but I am still optimistic and confidentt we can get away from where we are. “It is going to be tight, but I am still confident. “We have to do some cleansing and regeneration because the club needs it. “Let’s make some changes, because the club needs it. “Hopefully we can do this from the Championship and not from the league below, but if we cannot stop it and that is the way it turns out then we have to look at it as a fresh start. “It all rests on what happens above me and what the gameplan is. “I know what my gameplan is, I know what needs to be done, whether or not I will get the chance to do it... I hope I do. “Again, we don’t know who, if anybody, is going to come in and what plans they might have. “The uncertainty makes it quite tough.”