Keane still confident of automatic promotion

SUNDERLAND boss Roy Keane is still confident of securing automatic promotion to the Premiership despite seeing his side crash to a 3-1 defeat at play-off hopefuls Colchester on Saturday.

Late goals from Richard Garcia and Jamie Cureton meant the Black Cats suffered their first Championship defeat of 2007, after Dwight Yorke had cancelled out Wayne Brown’s first-half header.

However, Keane was not too downbeat after the defeat.

He said: “We’re disappointed to lose but it’s still in our hands and we’ll try and bounce back next week. When we got back to 1-1 we thought we could get something from the game but it wasn’t to be.

“I have no problem with the effort and desire we showed and you have to give credit to the opposition.”

Keane’s eye for detail has made it easy for Sunderland’s squad to focus on their promotion challenge, says Stern John.

As well as revamping the playing staff, Keane initiated a raft of changes in the backroom and the way the team prepares for matches.

“As soon as I came here, I could see it was a Premiership club in terms of facilities and arrangements for the players,” said the Trinidad and Tobago striker.

“Everything is geared towards looking after the players properly. It is something every club should have. If you do these things, then the players have nothing to worry about other than doing their job on the pitch.”

When budgets were tight at the Stadium of Light, Mick McCarthy’s squad often flew on scheduled flights or took the train to and from some away games as a cost-cutting measure. Players even had to cough up for a replacement if they swapped shirts after games.

Since his arrival, Keane has brought in new first-team coaches Tony Loughlan and Neil Bailey, strength and conditioning coach Mike Clegg and fitness coach/sports scientist Scott Ainsley.

Away from training, charter flights have replaced easyJet and the team even stays in a local hotel the night before home games to ensure they are properly rested.

Former Nottingham Forest, Birmingham and Coventry striker John said: “If you are a professional, you should be looked after.

“It all comes from the manager. As a player with one of the greatest clubs in the world, he saw how it should be done to help get the best out of players.”