Keane knows how to Mackem happy

SUNDERLAND manager Roy Keane is convinced happiness is behind his side’s promotion push.

The former Republic of Ireland midfielder heads into the last two games of the season knowing victory in both will see the Black Cats return to the Premiership at the first attempt.

That would be a remarkable achievement, both for a rookie manager and a club which plummeted from the top flight 12 months ago with a record low points total and little hope for the future.

Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Colchester ended a 17-game unbeaten run, but there is no sense of panic on Wearside ahead of Burnley’s visit to the Stadium of Light on Friday night.

Keane may be in the early days of his management career, but he knew instinctively that happy players would give him a better chance of success and he has been proved correct.

“The players are well-disciplined, they are focused on the job, and my job is to make sure the players are happy, and I think all are happy.

“If the players are not happy with anything, we do our best to make sure they are happy. If they are not happy with the pillows at the hotel, we make sure they are soft enough for them.

“We are doing everything we can to make it a happy dressing room and I have to say, we have a very good dressing room. And when you have that, you have a good chance.

“There has only been one example this season when I have been disappointed when we played as individuals and not a team and we were nearly caught out.

“But we reminded the players we need to be a team and since that performance they’ve been different class.”

Keane added: “The priority for me when I took the job was to get a good team spirit, a good togetherness amongst the players, good characters in the dressing room — that is why I brought in the players I did, players I had played with.

“I knew a few lads who were here anyway, so I just felt if we got good characters and a good spirit amongst the players, we could go anywhere.

“Fortunately for us, the players have all settled in really well. The new signings have all done well, as have the lads who were here.

“It was important the likes of Dean Whitehead and Grant Leadbitter, Darren Ward and Danny Collins, players like that, played their part, and they certainly have.

“I think I have been very lucky.”