Fans not keen on Wilko - Waddle

Former Sunderland winger Chris Waddle believes Howard Wilkinson faces a tough job in winning the fans over at the Stadium of Light.

The former Football Association technical director was yesterday surprisingly named as Peter Reid’s replacement in the Black Cats hotseat, with ex-Stoke boss Steve Cotterill his number two.

Wilkinson’s appointment has not been met with much enthusiasm by Sunderland’s fans however, and Waddle admitted the new man would have to deliver results quickly.

He told BBC Sport Online: “When you go to a club you often get two or three months to make changes and reorganise.

“But the reaction of a lot of fans is they don’t seem too enthusiastic so it is going to be hard work from day one.

“Howard has got a lot of respect in the game, but it’s going to take time to adjust, it’s a tall order going back into the Premiership.

“He’s going to have to win the fans over and get them on his side and it’s going to be very difficult.

“The first game is against West Ham, they are capable of beating them but they need a result and that will give them time.”

Waddle claimed that Wilkinson’s style, earned during his spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds, may not go down too well on Wearside.

He added: “Expectations are very high in the north east and the Sunderland fans are very frustrated.

“They want to see entertaining football and it will be interesting to see how they shape the team and how they want to play and that will be a major factor in whether the fans take to them quickly.

“I think once you get a tag it’s very hard to change it in football and Howard has always been renowned as playing very direct, just as Steve Cotterill has.

“I know the Sunderland fans appreciated Peter Reid but they were quite direct at times. The fans want to see more football.”