Poyet set for second round of talks

Gus Poyet is set for talks with Ellis Short this week in a bid to settle his Sunderland future.

Speculation has been rife in recent weeks that Poyet could leave Wearside unless he is given the backing he needs to revamp the Black Cats both on and off the field over the summer.

And the Uruguayan is in a strong negotiating position after having saved Sunderland from near-certain relegation and leading them to a 14th-placed finish - and having also taken them to the Capital One Cup final.

Poyet held initial talks with owner and chairman Short prior to Sunderland’s final game of the season a week ago, and more discussions are planned when he returns from a family holiday this week.

A number of issues remain outstanding.

First and foremost, he is looking for assurances over the size of the transfer budget that will be available to strengthen his squad over the summer.

With five loan players having returned to their parent clubs and another eight players out of contract, Sunderland will need to embark on a summer recruitment drive.

Poyet has already drawn up a list of targets for new technical director Lee Congerton to chase, but he wants guarantees that there will be enough money to bring in the players he wants.

And, after being brought in as head coach, Poyet is also seeking more power to shape the club behind the scenes.

He is understood to want to make changes to Sunderland’s academy set-up, and introduce a consistent playing style through the club’s youth and development ranks all the way up to first-team level.

Poyet’s achievements since his arrival in October have made him a popular figure amongst the fans, and Short is aware he has a managerial hot property on his hands.

With three Premier League clubs having already parted company with their manager since the end of the season – and more expected to follow – Poyet would have no shortage of suitors.

Already, there have been rumours linking him with a switch to West Ham, if Sam Allardyce leaves the Londoners.

Poyet said at theend of the season that he expects to be in charge at the Stadium of Light next season, but also said he needs to know whether the club will be content merely to survive in the top flight or whether it intends to go forward and compete in the top half of the table.

He has only one year remaining on the deal he signed seven months ago but, if Short comes up with the answers he wants to hear, he is likely to sign a new contract to prolong his stay on Wearside.

 

`And, after being brought in as head coach, Poyet is also seeking more power to shape the club behind the scenes.

He is understood to want to make changes to Sunderland’s academy set-up, and introduce a consistent playing style through the club’s youth and development ranks all the way up to first-team level.`

Good idea provided those in charge are capable of coaching it. If not, get some in who can.
We`ve mentioned the academy a few times on here as a cause for concern.

As for the rest of it, entirely dependent on Ellis Short.

 

All in shorts hands, give him mega backing ellis

 

Do you agree, with some on here, who believe Ball's days are numbered ...... and would you accept that as Short backing Poyet?

 

That's what's needed Pops.

 

for one of the so called better ones (academy) does not seem to produce many players of note coming out of it., must be one of the poorer ones for money spent i would imagine

 

Dunno mate, the whole laing thing is a curious one, as mentioned, he was raving about him at the pub night, best thing since sliced bread, no doubt bally is safc through and through, would i be bothered if we let him go? No not really, there's something a miss with laing, cant see bally letting his self confessed 'hottest prospect' leave the club without a fight, so maybe his days are numbered

 

Yes and yes.

Bally's been an awesome servant of the club but the club is bigger than any one man.

As it says in the piece above, ES knows he's got a mangerial hot property, and the most "successful" manager of his tenure. If he really wants to try and have some success with his club he has to back Gus fully and if that's means giving him carte blanche to do what he wants, then so be it.

 

Bally could do worse than cut his managerial teeth in the lower leagues.. I think he would make a great manager given the chance

 

I agree

 

Has Laing gone? The SAFC website doesn't say anything about it as far as I can see but it does mention that, due to injuries, he only made 5 appearances last season. Maybe it's more about injuries...

And why would Man U take on an injury prone player?

 

He's going by all accounts, reckon its a case of you scratch our back we'll scratch yours meself like, what it could be i dont know, there is a rumour about rio ferdinand but thats all it is a rumour

And btw i would be over the moon if that were the case

 

He's played 11 times for development squads this year fella. 2 for blackburn while on loan rest for us. For some reason SAFC.COM stopped updating the u21s results page three quarters of the way though the season for some daft reason.

 

I'm surprised he hasn't ever taken the chance at Portsmouth.

It's inevitable that he'll leave Sunderland one day and I reckon that day is approaching.

It started to worry me that Henderson became the player we'd hoped he'd be ......... after he'd left.

Wickham made zero progress with us until he was coached at Sheff Wed.

Now that lads we've paid & coached for years have left I think it's only a matter of time that the club is shaken up.

Is this what Poyet meant when he said that there's something wrong at the heart of the cub.

I've no idea if Ball is a bit of a throwback to the type of drinking culture of Reid etc but I've certainly had my doubts.

Short, with his last two managerial appointments is appearing to shake off the past. The previous stereotypical northern bloke manager, such as Bruce/Reid/Mick etc has done little for the club and we really need a Martinez modern 'top to bottom' scientific approach to change things.

I'm not sure if Bally can adapt tbh.

 

If Ball (and McNamee?) rate these players so highly and they`re released, surely that raises a massive question mark as to their judgment?

Maybe their ideas of what makes a great player are either wrong or out of date?

Just chucking that into the mix.

 

Could well be it

 

That's a fair assessment Smug, wouldn't disagree with any of that

 

Got to agree.

Bally is, and I reckon will always be, my Sunderland hero, the one man we have had in my lifetime that wore that shirt as if it was his heart, never once did he not give everything for the club.

However, the academy isn't doing the business, and there isn't room for sentiment, if a change is what's needed the club is the bigger picture.

There are many, many roles wen can offer Bally, nothing to say he can't work alongside somebody, what Gus is alluding too is the 'Barca' method, and they have been known to produce a player or 2.

 

I don't believe that's possible personally.

If Short & Poyet are going to drag the club into the future they'll have to be brutal and change the 'retirement home' mentality.

Sadly Bally has never won anything in his career and has a touch of the 'dinosaur' about him in the modern game.

Modern managers don't ask players to run through brick walls, they ask them to find clever ways round or over the wall.

It pains me to say it but we can't cling onto sentiment and nostalgia.

 

Find it hard to disagree mate, despite it being Bally we are discussing.