Sunderland picked up a much-needed win against Doncaster on Sunday and Phil Parkinson shared a feeling of pride in his players after the match.
What did he say?
The long-awaited victory likely filled Parkinson with as much relief as joy after spending the last few weeks facing stern criticism from Black Cats’ fans as well as calls for another individual to replace him as manager.
Despite that, he has maintained his faith in his system and the players at his disposal, and the win against Rovers was down to team effort and a strong spirit as much as the quality on show.
Poor defending allowed the home side to equalise and that could have caused Sunderland to buckle, but instead they rallied and played their way back into the match, and were the better team throughout the second half – Charlie Wyke almost scoring before Chris Maguire clinched the winner.
Speaking post-match, as reported by the Chronicle, Parkinson said:
“We came out fighting today and for the first 25-30 minutes we were excellent.
“We dipped a little bit, it got a bit scrappy, and we gave the ball away too cheaply for a short period in the first half, but then in the second half I thought we were excellent.
“It’s the best we have played since I have been here and deservedly got the victory.
“I am so pleased for the lads because they have put a lot of effort in today and they have got their rewards. All I want to do is concentrate on getting the lads to play with the spirit they showed today.”
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Positive signs
With the way Sunderland had been playing and the poor results they had picked up – no win in nine prior to Sunday – it seemed like Parkinson had already lost the dressing room.
However, there is clearly a spirit in the camp and Parkinson has underlined that fact because it is an important aspect of Sunderland’s win and a factor which should allow them to put their bad spell in the past.
The Black Cats’ boss also acknowledges the areas where his team underperformed, namely in possession, and that means there is still plenty of work to do in January if the team is to really turn a corner.
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He also stressed his aim to maintain the spirit and belief in the squad, and should he manage that Sunderland will continue to battle for points, and perhaps stretch their unbeaten run as a result.
A bit of momentum and confidence will be a major advantage heading into the second half of the season and if things go well in terms of recruitment there is still every chance of the team clawing their way back up the table.
Parkinson also referenced fan support and praised the supporters’ efforts, and that is another factor that will have to continue to help the team reach the level it should be performing at consistently.
Lynden Gooch provided the quality to send Sunderland on their way to a win and fans were quick to praise his contribution.
