Sunderland need that Irish pride – Mick

[sligoman]

Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy has encouraged his players to follow the example of the Ireland international side in their first season back in the Premiership.

Sunderland are rated odds-on for the drop from the top flight at the first time of asking.

But McCarthy, who guided the club to the Coca-Cola Championship title last season despite severe financial constraints, wants pride to be a decisive factor for his side – and that they need look no further than Ireland teams of the past for an example of how the odds can be defeated.

He said: “I played with a Republic of Ireland side that people looked down their nose at, and they very often used to get it rammed right back up their nose, and I managed a Republic of Ireland side who were very similar, and they got a great deal of respect out of it.

"I certainly would not go into playing anybody thinking negatively and start worrying about it. I am not being naive there, that is being positive.

"That has got to be the way forward. Why should we set off with that attitude? If you do, you are giving yourself a problem from the start.

"I do not really subscribe to that theory that you come up and then start making noises and being negative right from the start.

"To be honest, I have said to the players if I hear anybody saying ’we will be happy if we do this’, then I will not be best pleased.”

eleven-a-side (http://www.eleven-a-side.com/acrossthewater/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=18099)

[thecorner]

hopfully they wont play against 10 men very often. mccarthy migh not realise :D

[Plastic Paddy]

That's not good enough for some though, TP. Of course, they'd have been able to do a much better job... :rolleyes:

FWIW, I wish Mick all the best for this coming season. He deserves every success with Sunderland and for the fans that back him up unequivocally when the going gets tough. Unlike some "fans" that could be mentioned. But I digress.

:ball: PP

[thecorner]

May he continue where he left off and add to the amount of losses on the trot by a premiership manager

[Plastic Paddy]

Why do you wish him ill? :confused: If it's anything to do with Saipan et al, it's time to get over it - really, it is - and move on. Life's too short, and as he's one of two Irish managers in the Premiership, I'll be backing him all the way. Good luck Mick.

:ball: PP

[Mayo Red]

FWIW, I wish Mick all the best for this coming season. He deserves every success with Sunderland and for the fans that back him up unequivocally when the going gets tough. Unlike some "fans" that could be mentioned.

Agreed, well said!

[CollegeTillIDie]

To quote the man himself:" Too many defeats in this job and it's my arse in the bacon slicer !" :D

[ciaran76]

Why do you wish him ill? :confused: If it's anything to do with Saipan et al, it's time to get over it - really, it is - and move on. Life's too short, and as he's one of two Irish managers in the Premiership, I'll be backing him all the way. Good luck Mick.

:ball: PP


Well said. I too will also be hoping him well :)

[OwlsFan]

I hope he does well too but I fear for him and the stick he'll get from the poison dwarf and Laughing Bill on the Premiership if things go pear shaped.

[elroy]

I hope he does well next year. After all he did get us to a WC through qualifying out of a very difficult group.
The games against Man Utd and Keane will be interesting.
Also has Mick still got the horrible tendency he had with Ireland that if we score and go ahead, he takes off a striker, puts on a defender/midfielder and sits on the lead, backfired way too many times with us.

[OwlsFan]

Yes, that used drive me mad. He never seemed to learn from that (Portugal at home being a case in point). However, he is not alone among managers who adopt this mastery tactic only to see it backfire in their face.

[gustavo]

have to agree with my fellow mod on this , good luck mick and hopefully sunderland stay up!