Michael Beale addresses Sunderland fan criticism pre Stoke

Beale was speaking for the first time since the 1-0 defeat to Hull City at the Stadium of Light where a large number of supporters aired their frustrations towards Beale with chants for the head coach to leave his post.

Sunderland host Stoke in one of just two Championship games this weekend as they look to move back into play-off contention after back-to-back league defeats.

And this is what Beale had to say on the criticism he has faced and more ahead of the visit of Stoke:

Are you surprised by the level of criticism you’ve received?

We’ve just lost two close games, so off the back of that there’s obviously anxiety in the fanbase because we want to do well. We’re in a similar position to when I took over, so there’s still a lot to play for.

I think some people weren’t happy when I arrived before I even started playing a game, so we have to just play the next game that’s in front of us. I’m delighted with the way the players are working behind the scenes and the togetherness of the group. I just have to keep working with the players and if the results go our way it will change some people’s opinion, but some people may never so I have to face that as a fact really.

There is pressure now on the game with Stoke?

If we win that game we’ll go back just outside the play-offs on goal difference, so there’s a huge crisis at this football club; the youngest team in the league, we haven’t got the biggest budget, we’re sat three points outside the play-offs with a home game coming up. I’m a little bit perplexed and bemused by the outside thing.

The change was made by the club. We’d won two in nine when the change was made. In the next nine league games the team has won four. So, for me, there’s an ongoing issue that we’re not scoring enough goals. We’re scoring a goal per game in the last 18 or 19 and we need to try and rectify that. We need all the support from the outside and the focus needs to stay on the team, I think.

Can you shield the team from the outside noise?

They’re a young group. They train really well and I’m delighted with the work we’ve done behind the scenes. At some point we’re going to reward ourselves in the games and the result will be positive.

It was only a couple of games ago we were three unbeaten. The last two games in particular in the league have been very harsh on us, they were two close games.  We had more possession than Ipswich at their stadium, we had considerably more than Hull at our stadium, so to come out of both games losing to set plays is disappointing.

We’d like the team to play better in the final third, a little bit quicker and they’re the things we’re working on. But in terms of what the players in house are giving me, I’m absolutely delighted in their work ethic every day, but everyone is aware of the noise in the background. All we can focus on is the next game.

Is there frustration with the way the window has gone so far to try and solve the goal scoring problem?

There’s a few things with that. Coming in, the team was a team with three running full-backs in terms of free flowing, running full-backs behind wide players and we’ve had an issue in the left-back position with losing Niall and Dennis has unfortunately had a reoccurrence. We put Aji in, who started doing really well and then unfortunately got injured and Paddy has been out as well. So those things are not ideal, they’re not excuses, they’re facts, but I still think in the last two games we were unfortunate not to get results.

In terms of the striker situation, the club did invest heavily in the summer in four number nines. The reality is that nobody had scored a goal before me coming in, since I’ve come in Rusyn has played and scored, Pritchard has scored his first goal of the season, Paddy Roberts is yet to score. So it’s clear, as a team, it was a problem for Tony and it’s now a slight issue for myself that I’m working with. But I came here to work with the players who are here, so my focus is on that. I think it’s clear for everyone both inside and outside where the team needs to improve.

What are your thoughts on the balance to the team?

It’s been an issue with the full-backs because we’ve had to mess around and move Trai around who, for me, is one of the best right-sided full-backs in the league. I think with Trai and Paddy it was a real asset to the team on the right side and we’ve lost that. To be fair to Jenson, who is a fantastic signing for the club, he’s played there and he’s played there well but he is playing out of position.

There’s a couple of areas we need to improve. I think before that Hull game it was a month that I’d been here, we’d played seven games in that month, and within that time if you want to add seven days off with Christmas and stuff like that, we’d only trained together about 13 or 14 times. So to implement that busy schedule, all these things need time. If it was easy and one person coming into a football club was going to change everything, I’m not sure.

We had a couple of positive results and if you look at the league in the last five we’ve won two, lost two and drawn one. I get that where we are there’s an anxiety in the fanbase, but we need to just focus in house on improving and winning the next game. I just think the last two games have been harsh on us, to be honest, and anyone that can’t see that then I’m not sure they’re being fair.

Are there any thoughts towards pushing Pierre Ekwah further forward in midfield?

I think all three of them, Jobe, Dan and him, are more comfortable as No.8s. So, at times, they have to share their workload – Dan and Pierre have done that more often. In the last game we left Pierre there because we wanted Dan and Jobe to go and press higher in the first half against Hull. We had them locked in – I think they only had one shot in the first half. It’s an area, as well, where we could look to strengthen for sure.

What are your thoughts on Stoke?

I think they’re top seven or eight, in terms of the form chart, so it’s an interesting game. Steven has changed the way they’ve played, he’s gone in and changed from Alex Neil previously. It’ll be a tough game.

I think everyone is aware of what’s in the air around our football club as well; does that help or hinder? We’ll find out. We’re at home, it’s a big opportunity for us, there’s only two Championship games this weekend and if we win ours it puts us back in a really strong position and it’s where we’ve been for the last eight or nine games – nothing has really moved, it’s just hotting up a little bit. The top four are in unbelievable form but with the resources they have they should be there.

Lynden Gooch is coming back as well?

He’s well thought of here, and it’ll be nice to see him but we don’t want him to be happy when he leaves here on Saturday.