Chris Coleman takes questions from fans on life in the North East and managing Sunderland

The club’s official twitter page fielded questions and the Black Cats boss opened up on life managing in the North East.

As well as being asked about cheesy chips and the mackem dialect, former Wales manager Coleman talked about the challenges and positives of leading the club in the battle against relegation from the Championship.

We pulled together some of his most insightful responses...

What’s your favourite part of being a football manager?

Chris Coleman: “Having that feeling of being a part of something, seeing something growing and improving.

“It is special to be part of something when it is successful.

“I’m saying that and right now we’re second-bottom of the table, but that is my favourite part, and it is the same with young players coming through, seeing them growing and getting better.”

What’s it like to manage John O’Shea?

CC: “It’s easy. He sets his own standards in training, he never misses a game.

“He’s an excellent role model to our younger players, and even at 36 he never misses a day in training, lives right.

“He’s played at the very top, for one of the biggest teams in the world, won everything, but still has that desire and hunger to get every morning, come in and work hard.

“It’s a walk in the park [managing him].”

How have you found the Sunderland fans?

CC: “The fans have been brilliant, they haven’t had a lot to cheer about when it comes to results and success.

“When a club of this size gets relegated it is a big vacuum and you get sucked into all of that, the negativity is huge because it is such a big club.

“But the fans have been great and the ones at the Stadium are the ones we need to keep, we have to hold onto them as they keep turning out in their numbers.

“We take big followings away from home, I’ve got absolutely no complaints.”

What’s your favourite thing about Sunderland?

CC: “The passion and the warmth of the people.

“It’s absolutely true what they say, the further north you go, the colder the weather gets, the warmer the people get.

“The warmth of the people has been fabulous.”