Winning is everthing..

Seems the new manager ain't afraid to take the players out of their comfort zone, it's gonna be his way or the highway, or so it seems....

First to admit, he weren't my first choice, but if needs be, he will kick them up the arse, but also comes across as a fair man, and if your good enough, you'll get your chance...

He don't seem bothered to work to get the job done, and it seems the players will have to do the same...




MARTIN O’Neill admits he is currently managing his squad as best he can amid a flurry of festive games.


But he says he is still looking to impose his own standards and style on Sunderland despite the games coming thick and fast.

“It’s difficult,” he told the Echo. “It’s a really testing time for us in terms of the number of games we’re playing and from that viewpoint it’s not ideal that a new management team has just come in.

“We are stuck in a run of games at the moment which makes it a little difficult for us to be introducing the rules and routines that you need to.

“It’s unfortunate but we can’t choose the timing. That is just the way it is and we have to get on with it.”

O’Neill changed things around for his first game in charge, taking the squad away to stay in a Durham hotel the night before Sunderland’s home game against Blackburn Rovers at the Stadium of Light.

And he admits there was the prospect of keeping the players down in London after Sunday’s game against Spurs at White Hart Lane in order to have time together to prepare for tomorrow night’s match in the capital, against QPR at Loftus Road.

He said: “The hotel before Blackburn was quite an easy decision because a couple of the players have young families and this was just an opportunity to get their minds fully focused on the game.

“But I will play it by ear rather than follow the one approach constantly. Who is to say what is right? I habitually take teams away to stay in hotels, home and away.

“But I’ll see. I just felt that three days was just a tad too long away at this time. If we are winning games and the players aren’t staying overnight, well, that’s fine by me – the winning of games is the most important thing.

“The important thing is making the right decisions for the players themselves.”

O’Neill has been busy in his first fortnight in charge – recalling troubled defender Titus Bramble to the side, bringing Matt Kilgallon out of exile and handling difficult situations involving Nicklas Bendtner and Lee Cattermole.

He’s also given a debut to Jamie McClean and pushed the cause of Connor Wickham but he admits he has barely scratched the surface yet and is in no rush to judge.

“I think you feel you get a handle on them fairly quickly,” he mused. “But then you can be surprised by them, pleasantly surprised in the weeks ahead or even disappointed sometimes.

“They might feel the same, likewise, with the manager, so there you go. These things take time and for the moment it’s just a case of handling all these games as best as we possibly can, until we get into the New Year

 

Every time I hear/read what this bloke has said I become happier with his appointment as manager - he certainly talks the talk and I believe he walks the walk too - hopefully this is going to be an exciting time to be a Sunderland supporter

 

I like what I am hearing, he puts the football club first and very much comes across as being a man in charge. A couple of decent signings and we could do very well under MON. Was talking to a Villa fan this morning who is gutted at their current situation, he did not renew his season ticket this year. He recons MON will play with a solid back 4 and a solid holding midfielder and then look to defend deep but hit teams on the break with pace and fast passing. He said the reason Villa's defending has got worse is because they are defending too high and Collins and Dunne don't have the pace to play like that. Much could be said about Brown and Bramble so defending deep is probably a good tactic.

I personally think Richardson, Sess and a new signing will be the key for us. The 2 of them have lots of pace, Wickham has shown he is good at holding the ball up so we just need 1 more with pace next to him and were sorted. With the likes of Vaughan and Larson supplying the ammunition we could do very well.

I think he will sign a solid defender (my Villa mate recons Cuellar) and a quick striker (were going to have to break the bank for this I think). We should then be looking good for the near future.

 

If it's anyone from from Villa, i hope it Bent and Warnock. Ok no chance of theirstriker so the l/b will do.

 

I am not a fan of Warnock myself I thought he was poor at the weekend. Clark would be a better prospect he looks like a very decent full back/centre back.

 

It would not surprise me one bit to see Bent come back, not one bit. For all we call him, me included, the first game with him knocking the ball in the net and all will be forgiven, I just would no longer want him to pretend and go badge kissing.

 

I think it may be McLeish (SP? may be to blame for Warnock - I rated him before this season but he has looked distinctly poor this season and the only thing I can see to blame is the appointment of McLeish - he looks to have gone backwards - Villa were absolutely terrible at the weekend

 

Yes, despite our league position we have been playing decent football overall this season, and hopefully MON will give us that extra bit of quality and steel we are missing.

I am very happy with his appointment, moreso than I expected to be.

 

Can't see it myself Syd, I don't think we would pay the wages. I think the fans would accept him back. He is exactly what we need right now too.

 

dont think Marcus would want a lot TBH

 

i whould have him back...