NEIL: I’VE MADE THE RIGHT CALL OVER CITY MOVE

Potters boss admits to mixed start, but says there is scope for success at the bet365 Stadium

ALEX Neil has ‘absolutely no regrets’ about leaving Sunderland to take on the challenge at Stoke City after an eye-opening first couple of months in the saddle.

Neil had only joined Sunderland in February and guided them to promotion to the Championship via the play-offs then set them up for a higher division during preseason.

But, after a victory at Stoke in August, he took the chance to move to the bet365 Stadium as a replacement for Michael O’neill.

It has been, he admits, a mixed opening chapter – winning five and drawing two of his opening 15 matches – but he signed a threeyear contract and believes he is at the start of a long-term project to make the club successful again.

Stoke sit a disappointing 17th during the World Cup break – six points off the top six, two above the bottom three – but it has been a disappointing few seasons since relegation: only finishing 16th, 15th, 14th and 14th again.

Sunderland are two points and two places better off, but Neil gave short shrift to a question about whether he might have second thoughts about his move south.

“That’s a ridiculous thing to say,” he said. “I’ve got absolutely no regrets about coming here.

“I came here because there is massive scope for this club.

“We’ve got owners who really want to do well and will do everything in their power to support their manager.

“I think they let me make key decisions about what the next stage of the club is going to look like.

“A lot of the time you don’t get that type of scope at clubs but I’ve been here 15 games and a lot of what you can shape takes time. It’s not going to happen overnight.

“I came here not for a short period of time, I came here to make sure we build something. It’s going to take a little longer than it would do in other cases.

“Some squads you go into as a manager and you know you’ve arguably got until the end of the season to get them out of the league because that’s what the squad is and how much money has been put in and that’s where everybody deems it.

“I don’t think people look at us that way at the moment. I think they look at us having underachieved for a number of years. We need to steady the ship, we need to then steadily improve and then build something which is going to last for a period of time.

“We’ve only at the start that process.”

· STOKE will receive at least £161,500 from Fifa for Harry Souttar’s participation in the World Cup.

Clubs receive £8,500 per day per player involved in Qatar, including six days of training this week before the tournament starts. The group stage will then last 13 days.

Stoke could cop a total £297,500 if 500/1 outsiders Australia make the final – but that would mean Souttar would miss league games against Cardiff and Bristol City.

· STOKE under-21s are in Premier League International Cup action tonight against Hertha Berlin at the bet365 Stadium (7pm).

Entrance is free for season ticket holders and parking is free on West 1 and West 2 car parks. Tickets cost £3 or £1 concessions for non-season ticket holders.

FUTURE: Alex Neil is looking to build at Stoke City after joining the club from Sunderland.