New Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson takes charge of his first game on Saturday at Wycombe Wanderers. The new Black Cats boss will be hoping to convince some of his doubters that he is the man for the job. A win at Wycombe will be what he and his new team are hoping for to get the ball rolling.
Sunderland Manager Phil Parkinson Aiming for Winning Start at Wycombe
Quick Turnaround
Parkinson was unveiled as manager on Thursday having taken his first training session. With just 48 hours to prepare his new team, will it be enough to get his players ready? Parkinson believes so. Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, he said: “When I first met the Sunderland board, I started preparing for Wycombe. The games are coming round quickly but we’re going to go down there and get three points. Wycombe have had a great start to the season, they can’t be underestimated.”
Phil Parkinson Can Change Supporters Minds
It’s fair to say that not every Sunderland supporter was pleased by the appointment of the former Bolton Wanderers manager. Many other managers, in and out of work, including Black Cats legend Kevin Phillips, has seen fans a little underwhelmed by Parkinson’s appointment. However, he has what it takes to change their minds.
Parkinson has had success in the Football League with his other clubs. He guided unfashionable Colchester United to the Championship, took Bradford City to promotion and a League Cup final whilst still in League Two, and he also guided Bolton Wanderers to the Championship while the club were under a transfer embargo. He then kept them there in difficult circumstances.
Style of Play Not Important, Promotion is
Parkinson would ideally like to play attractive football; however, this is not always possible. He has proved in the past that he is a manager who can get the best out of the squad of players he has. If that means winning ugly, then so be it. Should Sunderland be promoted under his tenure, it will matter little if the style of play was not pretty on the eyes. His remit is simple, get Sunderland promoted.
Stewart Donald Believes He Has the Right Man
Having interviewed several candidates, Stewart Donald believes after meeting Phil Parkinson, he had found the man for the job. He told the Sunderland Echo: “Phil has a proven track record when it comes to achieving promotion and I’m delighted to welcome him to Sunderland. During a rigorous recruitment process, it gradually became clear that he was the prime candidate to take the club forward.
“His CV put him on our shortlist. His references from within the game set him apart.”
A Tough Job
The new manager has a tough job to do, starting on Saturday. He will come up against Gareth Ainsworth, a manager who was considered a favourite for the Sunderland job. Wycombe have been surprising many this season with their results and performances. Wanderers are currently second in League One having lost just once so far.
The 51-year-old will then have his first taste of being in the home dugout at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland will face Tranmere Rovers next Tuesday in Parkinson’s first home game. A victory here would settle nerves amongst players and fans.
Sunderland are a big scalp in League One. Opponents up their game when they face the team from Wearside. Parkinson and his team must be prepared for this. He said: “Myself and the players have to expect pressure and deal with it. We have to use the support to our advantage. We want to send the supporters to work with three points.”
“It takes a team who can do both sides of the game to get promoted. We need to be a side who can win when we’re not playing our best. We need to win all types of football games.”
Can the New Manager Effect Work?
Time and time again we see results improve under a new manager. A new voice, new ideas, a different approach can get a team going again. Sunderland need this to happen, ideally, against Wycombe. Sunderland’s away form has not been good so far this season. Clean sheets have also been a rarity. If Sunderland come away with an ugly 1-0 win, few would be unhappy.
The Sunderland squad is a good one at this level. A nudge in the right direction could be all it takes to get the momentum going. In past jobs, under difficult circumstances, Phil Parkinson has managed to get the job required of him done.
