Sunderland '˜in a better position than we'd have imagined' as optimistic Jack Ross talks new owners and promotion hopes

Days before being appointed Sunderland boss, many close to the Black Cats boss, as well as many onlookers, felt his most likely destination was Ipswich Town.

Then came Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven.

Methven put Ross high on a shortlist after a string of exemplary references, and once Donald made up his mind he moved heaven and earth to land his target.
Ross breezed in from holiday and in his introductory remarks made clear how much work was to be done.

Incoming deals?

He needed time to assess the squad.

Players coming to the end of their contract?

He needed time to assess.

Backroom staff?

He needed time to assess.

Keeping the club’s best youngsters?

Time would tell.

What followed was an at times frustrating and perhaps even lonely few weeks, Ross hard at work at the Academy of Light as he waited for players and staff to return, the market to open and the haze to lift.

It has been, by his own admission, the most challenging pre-season he will ever face in his career.

But on the eve of the league season, one thing has not changed.

Stewart Donald has been eager not to place too much expectation on his young manager but as he did in that opening press conference, Ross again insisted that promotion is his number one goal this season.

In May that seemed a long way off but the tireless work of Ross and his recruitment team means that most supporters will head for the Stadium of Light with cautious, but genuine belief that he can make it happen.

“Whether it would be a failure [not getting promotion] is probably for other people to judge, but certainly in terms of how I view my job and what I would determine success from my own selfish point of view, that would be getting out of the league.

“I’ve always tried to set targets for squads and I’ve always tried to set targets individually for myself.

“I think they help drive you on, on a daily basis and there’s not been one part of pre-season where I’ve ever thought about adjusting my expectations or my aims.

“My aim is always to get this club out of this league at the first time of asking.

“If I don’t do that, I suppose the time to judge it is the circumstances around it and how the team has played and all these different things.

“But, right now for me, success will only be getting promoted.”

Ross has been, publicly at least, low key in his approach, open and honest but grounded throughout.

It has been a summer when the focus has primarily been on the seismic change in approach at boardroom level.

For Ross, it has increased expectation but with over 26,000 supporters due for the opening game after two of the worst seasons in the club’s history, he has nothing but praise for his new employers.

“The owners have been very open in their communication, and that probably goes against the grain in terms of what football clubs are like nowadays, and by all accounts a little bit against the grain of what it’s been like here.” he said.

“I’m probably fairly comfortable with it because I try to be fairly open in my own communication.

“I speak about a work in progress all the time on the pitch because it’s a work in progress at the whole club - both Stewart and Charlie I like as people, for a start, which is a really good starting point to have in that relationship.

“I think that’ll always be the case, regardless, because I think that they are genuinely good people.

“They’re easy to converse with and communicate, but it’s new to them as well. I don’t mean running a football club, I just mean this club and the enormity of it.

“I’m learning all the time, and I’m sure they are as well, but I don’t think that anybody can argue with the atmosphere and the positivity that they’ve managed to generate, which is credit to them because having two consecutive relegations and managing to create this buzz around the place.

“I suppose it just adds to the expectations on my shoulders.”

Ross is taking nothing for granted but his most telling remarks at the Academy of Light on Thursday came as he said that while a touch more depth is required, he and his squad are in a much better position than he might have imagined at the start of the summer.

In truth, that goes for the whole club.

There remains an element of trepidation and caution, so much unknown about this squad and the teams they will face next season.

But there is also excitement and no little relief.

No one embodies that more than Ross, who has reason for optimism after navigating a dizzying summer of change.