Despite their current league position, supporters at the Stadium of Light are growing dissatisfied with the club’s present situation, which includes the recent appointment of Michael Beale, who has been in command on Wearside for little over a month.
The Black Cats’ most recent outing was a 1-1 draw at North East rivals Middlesbrough, with Nazariy Rusyn cancelling out Marcus Forss’ strike to earn a share of the spoils between the two sides, somewhat avenging Sunderland’s 4-0 defeat against the same opponents in early October.
Former Sunderland man issues Michael Beale verdict
Sky Sports aired the game between the two teams, with former Middlesbrough and Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole in the studio.
Cattermole, who acquired a reputation for being particularly combative in the middle of the pitch, appeared 258 times for the Black Cats from 2009 to 2019, scoring 10 times.
The aforementioned Beale has faced criticism from some fans since taking over from current Birmingham City manager Tony Mowbray. The 35-year-old issued his verdict on the situation, claiming that little has changed at his former club in recent weeks.
“I think the appointment, being up there and connected to the club,” Cattermole told Sky, as reported by the Sunderland Echo. “I suppose everyone expected Mowbray to move somewhere foreign. I know Will Still was referenced a few times, which got the supporters quite thrilled.
“The appointment of Beale, I don’t believe the form has changed significantly. I believe the style of play has altered slightly. I attended to the Hull game at home, and Sunderland could have easily won that night, but the manner of play was quite robotic. They played a lot in front and didn’t go behind. “One thing Tony did was get the team to attack really well,” Cattermole said.
“I believe Beale would have looked into that. I didn’t watch the Stoke City game, but by all reports, they were much more dangerous going forward. I believe that, like any other job, whether you are a player or a manager, you must always demonstrate your abilities. Beale will be up for it. He has been with the Rangers. He has been at QPR and has worked extensively with Steven Gerrard.
As previously noted, despite their uneven form, Beale’s side still has plenty of time to make the play-offs for the second consecutive season, and Cattermole stated that this must be the goal, and the 43-year-old must deal with the pressure.
“He leads the club. It is a large club. 40-odd thousand every week, and there is a demand on them, but for me, they have to be fighting to get back into the league, and that must be the challenge.”
“We hear a lot about the model and other such topics. I’ve seen the club inside a little bit already, and all the fans see is what happens on a Saturday at 3 p.m. or Sunday at 12 p.m. That’s the part you have to get correctly. Listen, that’s a big responsibility for him, but I’m confident he’s up for it,” he said.
Michael Beale’s tenure at Sunderland
Beale was not the first name many fans sought, which added to the strain on the former Rangers manager before he took control of his first game, a 3-0 loss at Coventry City on December 23.
Despite two wins in the next three games, the Black Cats were knocked out of the FA Cup 3-0 by arch rivals Newcastle United, followed by painful defeats against Ipswich Town and Hull City, the latter of which saw elements of the fan base turn against Beale.
However, with four points from the next two games, they are only one point behind Liam Rosenior’s team, despite having played one more game.
Sunderland will face Ian Foster’s Plymouth Argyle, who won their first away game of the season against Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.
The Black Cats will also hope to revenge their 2-0 defeat in Devon on November 25th.
It is critical for his benefit that Beale’s men produce a steady run of outcomes and performances, or his destiny will be decided very soon.
