Poyet: I’m only planning for a Premier future

GUS POYET admits his planning for next season has not even included a contingency option for life in the Championship.


Even if Sunderland can secure a first Premier League victory in four in tomorrow’s crunch showdown at Norwich City, the Black Cats will remain in the relegation dogfight, with the battle against the drop set to go to the wire.

That has hampered Poyet’s blueprint for his first full season in charge, with the Sunderland boss unable to lay down concrete plans for pre-season, new signings or the eight players who are out of contract in the summer.

But with less than two months of the campaign to go, Poyet says he has had to start plotting for next season, although that has only included the possibility of life in the Premier League.

Poyet told the Echo: “We have had to start looking towards next season because we are getting close to the summer.

“But I have to be honest – at the moment I have only made plans for the Premier League.

“I hope it doesn’t happen, but if we lose the next three games then maybe I will need to look at another plan!”

Poyet was in a similar uncertain situation at the end of last season after reaching the Championship play-offs with Brighton.

But he believes contemplating two very different scenarios at the Stadium of Light is far tougher to deal with, given the financial plight which stems from dropping out of the top flight.

“Last year, I thought it was difficult with Brighton, but now I think that was easier!” said Poyet.

“That was a plan for the Championship, and then if you reached the Premier League then it was a plus – you’d have more time, because the top division kicks off later, and there would be more money.

“Now we are in the opposite situation.

“If you get relegated, there will be changes, cuts, you start earlier and there will probably be some players that would like to leave.”

The appointment of Lee Congerton has sparked Poyet’s planning, with the new technical director charged with overseeing Sunderland’s player recruitment.

Poyet began his regular meetings over Sunderland’s future with Congerton last week and has outlined the players he would like to bring to Wearside during the summer.

“Lee was here all last week, and I spoke to him about plenty of things,” added Poyet.

“We’ve started working together, and that relationship will be very important.”

 

gota love gus! still can't see us going down so imo he is planning for a nice mid table finish next year and push on after that..

 

Too right, loan signings gone, big earners out of contract, 40% pay cuts and some bright youngsters waiting to impress, what's to plan for? Relegation sorts itself in most part, stay up and we've got so much to do.

 

We hear the same crap nearly every season, what did Short plan for when he came here?, i expected in 7 years we would have a quality squad by now( laughs quitely !) We continue to go backwards when we go forward. What a shambles, you lookat Soton, Swansea and Villa ! and they are better set up than us. I hope we get the 3 wins and 2 draws we need to stop up and spend big in the summer.

 

Think Poyet shall soon be changing this statement after today

 

yep

 

making himself look foolish............

 

I bet he's changed his mind now!

 

To be fair he can't plan for relegation, Short has to do that, then Poyet will have to form a plan from the scraps thrown back by Short.

 

Scrap the lot & start again.

 

Wonder what he says now

 

It was all gus's plan. He said he would like us to play badly and get a lucky goal. Well w got half of it right

 

I think PDC was thinking of this some time ago Pops

 

Who comes out with stuff like this? Looks like a monkey, has the brain of a baboon

 

i would start plan b after this crap i saw today ,i cannot see where these points will come from to save us now

 

tosser ip trace

 

My worry is if Gus is planning for the Prem next season he must be taking over the Spuds

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