Michael Beale on Sunderland's transfer approach and Ipswich

How is the squad after the weekend, have you had an opportunity to digest the result?

A disappointing day for everyone. The fans, players, staff and everyone but it was a big learning day for the team. The response in training has been very good. We have to focus we've got a game on Saturday against a fantastic team who's doing really well. Our focus is back on these 20 league games now and it needs to be because we're going to a team that's second in the league.

You said after the game, the difference in the teams would help your team moving forwards. Have you noticed any difference?

We've had a nice chat as a group. To be fair the response in training has been fantastic, they're a group that likes to train anyway. They're a young group, a buoyant group and I think at the weekend there was a lot of things in the game that was disappointing for us, but it's feedback. You come back in and it's not the level that we're competing at every week but it's the level we want to compete at. It's clear there was a gap and we keep working and moving forward. In terms of the Championship, we've won four of the last seven, we're unbeaten in three going into the game in terms of the league. It's a big game for us. That's quickly followed up by a big game at Hull. These teams around us, they're worth a little bit more than the three points because it's a knock on to the other teams position as well.

A game in isolation, you just need to refocus to what you were doing before that?

Alex Pritchard scored his first goal of the season against Preston, so had Nazariy Rusyn which was really important for the club that more people are contributing and adding to one or two others that have been the main goal scorers for the team. We kept two clean sheets in three so there were positive signs, with 20 games to go there's plenty to play for. We ultimately want to get back in the play-offs and go one step further than last year, but there's quite a few teams in the Championship that want the same thing at the moment and it's tightly packed. It's important we pick up points in every single game.

The Stadium of Light was fantastic at the weekend, did it give you a little taste of what it could be like here should you get Sunderland back up to the Premier League?

Yeah, I knew it was a huge club anyway. I've been massively impressed in what's still the first month of being here. The people that I've met, the passion inside the building, the local people that I've come across and last weekend I thought the atmosphere inside the stadium was fantastic. The people that went to the game, scouts, players, other managers, ex-players, everybody has spoken about how special the atmosphere was. We want those days and nights back at the Stadium of Light weekly. For that to happen, this young team that I've got, as staff we need to put the foot to the floor and be at our maximum for 20 games because I think we've got an opportunity. It's an exciting group. It's one game in isolation last weekend, we came up against a very good team and we fell short. No one is running away from that fact but the important thing is we stay positive on what is a really talented group of young players and to help them develop. To come back up last year and get in the play-offs, to get knocked out by the team that went into the Premier League, to be - after 26 games - in the position we're in, it's a real positivity for the progress the club has made in the last couple of games. It's important the last four of five months of the season we're strong and we get stronger as the season gets towards the tail end.

Paddy Roberts, is a couple of weeks still the plan?

Paddy will be out for the remainder of this month. We hope to have him back for some point in February. He'll be back before Bradley Dack. Niall has had surgery this week and we won't see him for the best part of a year, maybe more, which is disappointing because he was having a great year. We've released the news about Dennis Cirkin having an operation as well, he'll miss 12 weeks. I've only worked with Dennis on one or two days, so that's hugely disappointing as well.

In terms of the transfer window, when you turned to the bench it was lacking in experience, do you feel or can you beef up the squad this window?

There's two things there, firstly I do trust the players. It was just a moment in the game, a balance where you have to make a decision for everyone. That's the decision that we made, there's no untrust towards those players. A lot of those players have played big minutes this year and we'll continue to trust and use them Secondly, we're looking and being linked with every number nine that's breathing at the moment. We're looking for the right number nine to come in and fit in. It's got to be within our budget and the player has got to want to come and be motivated to help us as well. There are one or two positions we're looking at as well. It's generally a difficult month and it seems a few teams are loading up, some people have already done work. That's not to say we're not busy in the background. we are, but at this moment in time there's nothing to report on that.

On Jack Clarke, are you confident of holding on to him this window?

Yeah listen, if you're doing what he's doing at the top end of the Championship there's going to be people speaking well of you and speculation. I want that of our players that means we're doing well as a club and the players are doing well and thriving in our environment. I've not heard of any enquiries coming in directly to the club. I'd be lying if I said we were welcome to them, because we want Jack here and playing for a strong Sunderland team. Certainly to see out what this team is trying to do this season. Jack seems super focused. I've been really impressed with him in terms of his work ethic, his quality and the speculation is always going to be there when you're scoring the amount of goals he is.

After the game you said a bit short of grey hair, is that something you're looking to bring in or is that not the model?

In terms of the model, a lot is spoken about that. We're just trying to bring in players that are on the up rather than players that are on the decline. Players that can add to the vision and journey that we're on. We have obviously gone and recruited young players but in Bradley Dack, Luke O'Nien and Alex Pritchard we have players at the back end of their twenties as well. We're just looking for players to come in with the enthusiasm to move forward. We don't want anyone coming here because it's a nice club and a big club to play for and we pack out the stadium. We want people on a mission to improve themselves. So, the youngers boys that are in the group, 23 or 24, we're trying to bring their voices into the team. It's important. Dan Ballard, when Jonny Evans hasn't been playing, he's been given the armband by Michael O'Neill, that shows you what he thinks of him and what we think of him here. He can develop his leadership skills as well. It's important we do that and that we find the right players. If we can in this window, everyone through from Kyril, to Kristjaan and myself is looking to do that.

Alex Pritchard, is he worth trying to tie down to a new contract?

Yeah, those things are always going on in the background. I think when there's a change of manager as well, I think there's a period where people want to see how the new relationships form. Alex is someone who, we have people in our past that we've both worked with, as a coach and as colleagues. I'm well versed on Alex coming in and I've followed his career when he was at Tottenham, he's someone that gets playing for our club. He's been there in promotion seasons and since I've been in, obviously he missed the first game with illness but I thought he was excellent when he came on at Rotherham. He scored a fantastic goal against Preston and he was the most likely for us against Newcastle. He was unlucky with a few really good efforts that might have changed [the game] maybe, or put a bit of panic in the air. He's super important to us and those things go on in the background.

He came close to leaving in the summer?

I think at this moment in time, he's in the starting XI, he's playing well and he's fit and healthy. I don't know the ins and outs of that [what's happened before], and it's not one that the club has brought to me. It's onwards and upwards as far as I'm concerned. All the decisions are club decisions but at this moment in time, he's in the team and playing well. I'm happy with him and he's happy with me. We're in January and there's 20 games to play, May is a long time away and anything can happen, but at this moment in time the club have asked me to get my eyes on the players and give feedback on what I think. I'm still going through that process but at this moment in time, everyone can see how well Alex Pritchard is playing and the fans really appreciate him as well. 

Ipswich, most people were surprised by their success were you? 

Yeah, but similarly to ourself last year, if you have a group of players that have the bounce of promotion and the confidence, coming into the season with a couple of results, they're impressing themselves and running on with it. Things have become a little difficult of late for them, with injuries. Sometimes the Championship can get to you. Kieran is a coach who I know really well. We have a similar background and our paths have cross in the past. From outside looking in, I was willing him to do well but that has to stop now, obviously when we play on Saturday. It's great to see a young coach in his first job doing well. I'm really happy for him and Ipswich are a club similar to ours that have spent too much time in League One. It's nice to see a club like Ipswich back in the Championship and doing well, albeit after the game on Saturday.

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You mentioned transfer speculation, is it more inevitable here than other places because if you're doing your job, players will get better and you'll get speculation about them?

Yeah and that's what we want. We want people talking about our club in a positive light and if we're doing a good job, as a whole management team and all the different departments to push these boys on, we give a lot of opportunity here but in turn for that, there's a lot of responsibility we ask from the young players as well in terms of their daily motivation and individual programmes towards developing. I think that Jack has found a home for him, for example, and he's thriving. He's not the only one that's doing that. Someone like Trai Hume that came over from Linfield and he's thriving here as well. We've got more than just the one player, I could name five or six and that's exciting. From outside of Sunderland I was aware of that. It's something the club has never sung about that or spoke out about it a lot I don't think. The opportunity they're giving young players and the budget that we've got in the league that we're in. The team did really well last year and it's done well to now. It's not easy otherwise everyone would be doing it. There's a lot of good work in the background for sure.