The Sunderland board have no immediate plans to reconsider Gus Poyet’s position at the club, despite a wretched week for the Wearsiders.
The Black Cats became the first team to lose at home to Queens Park Rangers this season, when the then-managerless capital club left the Stadium of Light on the back of a somewhat surprise 2-0 win last Tuesday night. If this provided a degree of embarrassment for the club worse was to follow five days later, when their FA Cup bid was ended by League One Bradford City.
Due to this defeat at Valley Parade Sunderland can now focus fully on their Premier League campaign, which could yet prove to be far from comfortable at the business end of the season. The loss to Rangers leaves them just two points clear of the relegation zone, meaning only a win against Tony Pulis’ West Bromwich Albion this coming weekend will relieve some of the pressure.
Poyet, who was appointed as Paolo di Canio’s successor last season and kept them in the top-flight, has come in for some criticism by the club’s supporters, who have questioned his tactics and the style of football his team have been playing. In return, the Uruguayan accused them of living in the past and craving a kick-and-rush style, although he claims the media have misquoted him.
Some fans, though, believe the time has come for the board to sack the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager, and it has been reported that fights broke out in the away end at Bradford as frustrations came to the boil. However, The Guardian report that the board remain supportive for Poyet, and his position at the Stadium of Light is, at least for now, under no immediate danger.
