Sam Allardyce is a worried man but he remains determined to try to prove Dick Advocaat wrong by keeping Sunderland in the Premier League.
His predecessor in the manager’s office at the Stadium of Light resigned in early October, claiming that the team were nowhere near good enough to stay out of the Championship.
Since then Allardyce has had nine games in charge, presiding over three wins and six defeats. “It’s a difficult job,” he said before Saturday’s trip to Manchester City. “A very difficult job and it’s a big challenge for me. But proving Dick wrong is a great motivator for me. Dick said, ‘we’re not good enough’ when he left. At this stage it looks like he’s right and we’ve got to change that.”
In the past couple of seasons Sunderland have staged last-gasp, spring-time “miracles” but Allardyce – whose side stand second bottom with 12 points from 17 games – has warned his players not to expect another one.
“We don’t want to wait for the miracle. We need to do it now,” he said. “We’ve got to try our best not to be in a position where we have to win four of the last six games. Or seven out of the last 11. Those miracles can’t keep happening. That’s my message to the players. Dropping out of the Premier League means ultimate devastation to a football club.”
He is more concerned than two months ago. “I worry all the time,” said Allardyce. “I’m worried about the way we played in the first 20 minutes in our last two games against Watford and Chelsea. Where were we? Why did you leave your brains in the dressing room? Why did you not hit the ground running? Why did you not close the opposition down? Why did you allow them so much time and space to do what they wanted? Yes, you recovered after that but it’s all too late.”
Allardyce has been working his players hard but gave them the day off on Friday before the squad flew to Manchester in the evening.
“I’ve never trained on Christmas Day in my life as a manager,” he said. “Never, ever. Do you know why? Because I did it as a player and it was the worst thing ever, when I wanted to be with my kids helping them with their presents. If you can’t trust your players to be with their families but still be dedicated and get ready for a game, then what are they doing here?”
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