Sunderland players must show a real strength of character

Sunderland welcome former boss Simon Grayson back to the Stadium of Light on Saturday, and his high-flying Blackpool team will be difficult to beat.

The players also have another battle they must win and that’s with themselves.

The last two home games against Coventry and Burton knocked the stuffing out of everybody, then they followed it up with a fiasco at Gillingham and if they don’t conquer their own doubts and fears, a similar outcome to those last three games will be inevitable.

Playing for a big club is great when you’re going well, you get swept along on a tide of good will and euphoria and the momentum takes over.

When things are not going well, you’re put under the microscope, the weight of expectation increases the pressure and you have to have strength of character and huge resolve to play under those circumstances.

Somehow the players have to look forward to playing at the Stadium of Light again.

Yes the fans are angry and frustrated, how could they not be, but every single one of them on Saturday wants to cheer the players, applaud them and see the team win for a change.

None of them want to vent their anger at another inept performance, so it’s up to the players to be courageous, give every last drop and if the fans see that, they’ll get the sort of support they won’t get anywhere else.

So Saturday’s game is massive again and it will have a bit more spice added with Simon Grayson’s return.