Buoyant Black Cats boss has silenced boo boys
WE all know football is a fickle business, but even by the standards of the ‘success right now’ mantra, Michael Beale’s sudden turnaround in fortunes is a marked one.
It doesn’t seem that long ago that the Black Cats fans were taunting the boss with, “you’re getting sacked in the morning”.
In fact, it seems like yesterday. That’s because it was only on January 19 in the home defeat to Hull City.
Fast-forward three weeks and buoyant Beale was lapping up the support of the crowd as his team stormed back to beat Plymouth Argyle 3-1 having trailed 1-0 at the break.
He had been visibly moved too, wiping away a tear, in the fourth
There are a lot of people to please and yet when the flak was thrown at him after the Hull City defeat, he didn’t wilt
minute of the match when the home fans gave their backing to him after the news his four-year-old niece Poppy, battling leukaemia, had suffered a relapse.
It was an overwhelming show of love for Beale who, three weeks earlier, was the man some fans wanted thrust through the exit door.
Of course, it helps that two 3-1 home wins and a draw at Middlesbrough have galvanised Beale, the players and supporters.
Now the team must maintain those standards.
Once again, Beale’s side have ridden their luck on occasion and they are liable to leak the odd goal.
On Saturday, one straight ball over the top of Sunderland’s backline was all it took for Plymouth to go in front.
Granted, Ryan Hardy’s composure and finish were sublime, but the damage, as far as Sunderland were concerned, had already been done with one turnover of possession and one pass.
Sunderland failed to really get going in the first half but they made up for that in the second.
Winning a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area was the perfect way for Pierre Ekwah to exploit the situation and draw the teams level.
Then came Jack Clarke’s brilliant goal before Jobe Bellingham conjured up an effort his brother would have been proud of.
So, what could have been a Hull City-type scenario was averted and Beale’s record in the Championship in his new role stands at four wins, two draws and three defeats from nine league matches.
Beale may be soaking in a bath full of goodwill for now, but he is astute enough to know that one or two results going the other way can change the dynamics again.
Such is the pressure of managing a club as huge as Sunderland where the demands could not be greater and where you have to satisfy the needs of more than 40,000 fans every other week.
Beale has already shown he can handle it. He is thick-skinned, as you have to be in his position. For every detractor at another club you can multiply that by 50 given the size of the Sunderland fanbase.
There are a lot of people to please and yet when the flak was thrown at him after the Hull City defeat, he didn’t wilt.
He stood up, batted away the criticism with a sarcastic “yes, it’s a real crisis isn’t it” and has since picked up two wins and a draw in the subsequent three matches.
Beale knows he has to keep the momentum going with a positive result at Huddersfield tomorrow night.
But he is looking like a man who is enjoying himself at the moment.