Jack’s the lad to get Sunderland buzzing up the leagues again
JACK ROSS wants Sunderland to hit top spot today – six months after being told the job was too problematic.
Ross has moulded a hungry squad – and not because they all have to pay for their canteen lunches at the Academy of Light these days.
The 42-year-old Scot has revealed his formula for turning around a troubled club as it cuts costs, and possibly sells more players. The buzz words are organisation, structure and honesty.
Ross (celebrating a win, right, with keeper Jon McLaughlin) took over in the summer after the Black Cats’ relegation to League One. He said: “You tend to forget where you were, even six months ago. The task was probably bigger than I envisaged back then.
“I knew it was going to be big, but when you come in and understand some of the complexities of what was going on you then realise.
“It was challenging. I made a conscious decision just to focus on what I could control. The work on the training pitch and what we are building in the dressing room. It is a big enough job without having to worry about things I’m not in charge of.
“Once everything flows like you want, like winning games as we are now, it feels like it has always been like this. But of course it hasn’t.” The former St Mirren boss hopes he is laying foundations for a long stay, and a sustained rise up the divisions.
But he warned: “We have done nothing so far other than get a platform to try to get out of this division at the first time of asking.
“In the grand scheme of things the club has almost unlimited potential. I want to take it to the maximum, but that may take a few years yet and football is fickle and things can change quickly.
“I am focused on the first thing we can achieve and that is promotion from League One.
“You adjust your ambition from there. I chose to come to this club even though some people were saying it was not the right one. For me the potential was huge.” Sunderland are lighting up the division with their huge away following, and Ross admits they are a big target for rivals. He said: “We want to be top, but that’s not because I think we have a divine right to be there, every game has been incredibly difficult.” In January there are fears a £8million bid could lure teenage striker Josh Maja away, with Premier League clubs watching. Ahead of the clash with Wycombe today, Ross said: “Maja is as good as I’ve seen. If he gets one opportunity he scores.” But the manager knows the reality, adding: “If I lose three star players in January for financial reasons then I have to replace them. I accept that as the situation. “But in football you don’t get many opportunities to win trophies, titles. “So I am not sure people will be in a rush to leave it.”