Aiden McGeady delivers Lee Johnson verdict and explains why Sunderland supporters should be encouraged

Aiden McGeady believes Sunderland supporters will start to see the rewards of a new attacking philosophy when the team returns to action.
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The Black Cats squad are currently in isolation after a COVID-19 outbreak last week, with the number of positive cases at the club reaching double figures over the weekend.

The enforced break came four games into Lee Johnson's tenure as head coach, with the Black Cats winning two, drawing one and losing one of those games across competitions.

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Johnson's arrival coincided with the return of McGeady, who had been excluded from the first-team squad by Phil Parkinson for a year.

Sunderland head coach Lee JohnsonSunderland head coach Lee Johnson
Sunderland head coach Lee Johnson

In a revealing appearance on the official club #SAFCUnfiltered podcast, the 34-year-old said he was never given any clear reason why that decision had been made.

McGeady also reflected on Johnson's early work at the Academy of Light, and said the new appointment had been a 'breath of fresh air' for the squad.

"The first impressions are really good," he said.

"It's obviously completely different to what we had before.

"He's very, very detailed in his training and the way he wants his team to play. Even training is very focused on how we're going to play, how we're going to press, how we're going to win the game, basically.

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"He's a very young manager, obviously he's been managing for a good few years now but he's still very young. First impressions have been really good, it's been quite refreshing, I think not just for me but for the whole team as to how different the style of play is.

"He's been in charge for just over a week so it is difficult to get your imprint on a side in that short a space of time, but I think you could see within three, four five days [the change].

"I've not seen all the games but I think the Lincoln game was the best we've played in some time."

Johnson was appointed by Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman to oversee an overhaul of the club's attacking play, prioritising an aggressive high press and a more attacking style of play.

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The head coach has been thrilled with the early response of his squad to his ideas, but has been eager to ensure he doesn't overload the players with too much tactical information, too soon.

McGeady says the fixture list has made it a difficult task for Johnson, but said the 4-0 win at Lincoln showed he has already got the players to buy into his ideas.

"It's not been analysis overload, to be honest," McGeady said.

"Just 20 minutes here and there.

"It's mainly been on the things he wants us to do, and he's probably been only to take four training sessions [since he arrived].

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"He's not really had the whole group to work with a full week in between games, but in a short space of time he's managed to "get his ideas across and I suppose the players to buy into it as well."

A failure to break teams down at the Stadium of Light has long been a source of frustration for supporters, and a key factor in Sunderland's two failed attempts to win promotion from League One.

Collecting just one point from fixtures against Burton Albion, Wigan Athletic and AFC Wimbledon in recent times underlined that.

McGeady is encouraged that Johnson's ideas will help turn that around.

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"It's a sign of respect, that other teams know you can hurt them if they press you high," he said.

"I've been at teams near enough my whole career where that happens, where teams come to your stadium and play to take a draw or to get a goal on the counter attack.

"The Wigan game for me, was probably [a case where] the team still had that mentality of what has gone on before, because the manager had literally taken over that day.

"I think in four or five weeks time, I think you'll see a big difference.

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"It's down to us to go and break those teams down, it can be difficult but we have enough quality to do that.

"One thing that I think the new manager has already pinpointed is that it's alright having loads of possession, but it's what you do with that possession. How quickly you can take [opposition] players out of the game, how quickly you can break lines with your passing.

"Hopefully for everyone's sake it's not about having 75% possession, but it's mainly playing square balls or even backwards.

"He has an emphasis on going forward and being positive, the players who are receiving the ball doing so on the half-turn, and their next thought being going forward as well.

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"That's quite encouraging, that's the kind of football I like playing and the kind of team I like to be involved in."

McGeady has played a part in every game he has been available for selection under Johnson, who brought him straight into the starting XI within hours of his appointment.

The winger had initially been set to retun on the bench against Wigan Athletic, but the head coach wanted to show he had a 'clean slate'.

"Aiden was sub, but I brought him into the starting XI," Johnson said.

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"The thought process behind that was servicing my own and everyone else’s agenda.

"Knowing Aiden, and having played against him with my teams, I thought it was important to give him a clean slate.

“If he’s mentally and physically right, Aiden McGeady surely has to be one of the best players in this division. Lacking a bit of confidence and creativity, it was important to try to bring that back."

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