Wilkinson: task harder than expected

SACKED Sunderland boss Howard Wilkinson has admitted he did not appreciate just how difficult the task of saving the club from relegation was.

Wilkinson and his number two Steve Cotterill were dismissed late on Monday after a dismal run of just two wins in only 20 Barclaycard Premiership matches.

And the former Football Association's technical director revealed that the job of turning around the fortunes of the Black Cats had been considerably more difficult than he had expected although he believed it was not a mission impossible.