Roker Report - Official: Poyet New Sunderland Head CoachSunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51357/rr-fav.png2013-10-15T17:00:04+01:00http://rokerreport.sbnation.com/rss/stream/45249872013-10-15T17:00:04+01:002013-10-15T17:00:04+01:00Profiles: Mauricio Taricco & Charlie Oatway
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<figcaption>Mauricio Taricco</figcaption>
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<p>With Gus Poyet now Sunderland's head coach, we take a look at the two other new coaching arrivals.</p> <p>With the impending first game under new head coach Gus Poyet, Saturday's trip to Swansea, we thought it was time to take a look at the two backroom members of staff Poyet brought with him from his time at Brighton, Mauricio Taricco and Charlie Oatway.</p>
<p>First up, Mauricio Taricco.</p>
<p>Taricco started his career at Argentinos Juniors, the same club Julio Arca and Nicolas Medina arrived on Wearside from but only lasted one year before he was snapped up by Ipswich Town. A tough tackling, attacking full back, Taricco had a very successful time in Suffolk, being voted the club's 'Supporters' Player of the Season' in 1997 but left for White Hart Lane in 1999.</p>
<p>He played over 150 times for the North London club and it was at Spurs where he met Gus Poyet. After Tottenham he was signed by Alan Pardew at West Ham. However a hamstring injury less than 30 minutes into his debut meant he would be ruled out for some time, which prompted Taricco to go to the unusual step of offering to cancel his contract;</p>
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<p>I came to West Ham to be of service to the club, and I obviously won't be able to contribute if I'm having treatment for over two months.</p>
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<p>A gesture which West Ham accepted and led Pardew to praise Taricco and remark that it was the most honest thing he'd known a player to do.</p>
<p>After a short spell in a lower leagues in Italy, where he captained A.S. Villasimius, Taricco retired from playing for a spell before joining Brighton in 2010 as Gus Poyet's assistant manager. A spell that included him coming out of retirement as a player for the first time in six years, being sent off against Woking, retiring again in 2011, coming out of retirement again a month later, being sent off against Southampton and then retiring again.</p>
<p>During his playing days, Taricco was often a controversial character. Being involved in spitting and diving disputes against Sheffield United whilst at Ipswich, he also left Everton's Thomas Gravesen needing 30 stitches after a horror tackle while playing for Spurs and even confronted the then Blackburn manager Graeme Souness on the touchline during a game, which led to both being charged by the FA. Such incidents help explain why Robbie Savage once said of Taricco;</p>
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<p>Playing against Mauricio Taricco was enough to make a saint swear.</p>
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<p>During his time as assistant manager at Brighton, Taricco gave an interview where he explained the shared football philosophy he has with Poyet;</p>
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<p>I think the ideas that he's got and the way he treats players is the right way. I like what his thoughts were when he was a player. So I think he's got some interesting thoughts and personally I think he'll do well, very well. But time will tell.</p>
<p>I think it's harder to play the right way...well, I wouldn't call it The Right Way, I would call it the way we like. So, yes, it is harder because just getting the ball from the back and just kicking it forward and running, you can do it and you don't risk too much. But keeping it on the floor and trying to pass the way through team, it takes a lot more from you. It takes a lot more of risk at the back. When I was a defender, if you get the ball and you kick it forward as soon as somebody comes close to you it's easier than waiting for the right time to pass it through people. Close to the area as well, if you make a mistake you totally get punished and you can concede.</p>
<p>So it is harder. But that's why we like it because we can dominate games doing that and that's the way we want this club to play and hopefully we have the chairman and the players, of course, that share our view. We think so because we've talked a lot about with players and we all think that's the way so we're going to keep playing that way. Obviously during the season there are times when you can play and there are times when you're going to have to go a little bit different but mainly we want to have the identity, like you said, like Arsenal has, like other teams have, to play football and we would like that.</p>
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<p>He also gave some details into how Brighton's transfer dealings worked under Poyet;</p>
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<p>It's more the gaffer and the scout system that will be looking for players and watching games everywhere, really, and trying to identify that player that can help us.</p>
<p>We don't sign any old player, or just a left-sided player or a striker, we want THE striker, we want THE left-winger. So we are very careful, because of the way we play we want the player that can give us exactly what we need and not just one more player to fill a space in the squad, that's not our way.</p>
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<p>Taricco wasn't the only member of staff to follow Poyet to the Stadium of Light, with Charlie Oatway also joining the club.</p>
<p>Charlie, or to give him his full name, Anthony Philip David Terry Frank Donald Stanley Gerry Gordon Stephen James Oatway, was named after the full 1973 QPR team.</p>
<p>A tough tackling midfielder during his playing days, Oatway started his career at non-league Yeading and eventually joined Brighton after relatively short spells at Cardiff, Torquay, Brentford and Lincoln. He played 229 times for the South Coast club, during which he won a couple of lower league championships and a play-off final, before his professional career was cut short by injuries.</p>
<p>It was while he was at Cardiff that Oatway had a spell in prison, after he got into a fight in a bar after sticking up for a friend (a former QPR player) who had been racially abused. Oatway was sent to prison after the friend skipped court and robbed him of his main witness.</p>
<p>After he retired and was unsure what to do next, Brighton encouraged him to join the 'Albion in the Community' scheme, which he did and from there he got into coaching. He had a spell at Havant and Waterlooville as player/assistant manager but left to join Gus Poyet's coaching staff in 2009.</p>
<p>When he re-joined Brighton as a coach, he admitted that he didn't think Poyet could be successful in the lower leagues by playing a passing game;</p>
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<p>I remember talking about it to Gus and Tano (Mauricio Toricco) and telling them I didn't think they could achieve what they wanted playing the way they wanted. That shows how much I know.</p>
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<p>Then Oatway quickly saw behind the scenes how much of an effect Poyet style was having on the team;</p>
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<p>I have had to learn to accept the new approach in the same way the fans have. I might not have been convinced to begin with but even after eight to ten games you could see the impact Gus was having. It might have not been so obvious on the pitch, but at training and round the club in general you could see things changing for the better.</p>
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<p>One of Oatway's most important roles at Brighton was keeping up team spirit and helping their foreign players, like ex-Spanish international Vicente settle at the club;</p>
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<p>There are things you need to do differently. I have (had) to try and help people settle in, sort out English lessons for them and make sure they feel part of it here.</p>
<p>If anything you have to help the foreign players feel even more at home then everyone else.</p>
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<p>With Paolo Di Canio's reign having ended and his rules about 'no joking and smiling' being a thing of the past, the players will no doubt enjoy Oatway's more relaxed approach to coaching, as he explained during his time at Brighton;</p>
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<p>Oh we get them chuckling as well don't you worry about that.</p>
<p>There are hand signals and other ways of getting your point across. We have a great bunch here and everyone joins in.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>With Poyet bringing a new style of play to the team and a more relaxed atmosphere in training, Oatway and Taricco are sure to be key figures if the club is to start climbing the table.</p>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2013/10/15/4840768/profiles-mauricio-taricco-and-charlie-oatwayAndy Tomlinson2013-10-10T15:00:08+01:002013-10-10T15:00:08+01:00Killer Passes, Possession & Messiahs
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<figcaption>Richard Sellers</figcaption>
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<p>Gus Poyet might be an impressive up-and-coming young coach, but we should be careful not to get too carried away in the excitement of yet another new managerial appointment...</p> <p>Sunderland have finally found their new Head Coach; the former Brighton manager Gus Poyet. Considering the options that were available I think he is a perfectly decent choice for the role, and it's hard for me to pick out anyone who I could definitively state I would have preferred. Whilst Rene Meulensteen came with great credentials as a coach, an area of expertise especially fitting for the role at Sunderland, his only previous tenures as the main man at Brondby and, extremely briefly, at Anzhi Makhachkala didn't exactly inspire confidence in his immediate ability to dig the club out of the relegation battle we currently find ourselves in.</p>
<p>Doubtless there were also plenty of possibly eligible candidates with top flight European experience who would have loved a chance to prove themselves in England. However, as someone who only really watches the odd high profile continental fixture outside of Champions League matches I can't really say that I'm too disappointed that we didn't plump for, say, Ralf Ragnick. I honestly have very little idea about his possible credentials for the job, likewise those of any other manager who has managed just in Italy, Spain or Germany. That's not to say such a candidate could not have been a success, just look at the instant impact of Mauricio Pochettino and Michael Laudrup in their first English posts, but nor do I feel aggrieved that Ellis Short decided not to follow Southampton and Swansea's lead.</p>
<p>However, whilst I do think Poyet is about as sensible and solid a choice as was possible, I also feel that we as fans need to approach the new head coach's appointment cautiously. Speaking personally, I was extremely dubious about the suitability of Paolo Di Canio when he was appointed earlier in the year. Yet when his Sunderland side swept away Newcastle before battling to a miraculous victory against perennial bogey side Everton I found it impossible not to be caught up in the Italian's, often self-generated, hype. It turned out that my earlier sceptisim about Di Canio's suitability was more warranted than my later excitement as it emerged that his management techniques, especially his man-management, were woefully unsuited to the Premier League. As much as he seemed to rail against footballers who had too much, too soon it seemed that his step up from League One to the Premier League was precisely that.</p>
<p>If my hopes ended up exceeding expectations with Di Canio, then it was not much different with the previous incumbent. When Sunderland finally appointed pretty much every supporter's dream manager Martin O'Neill in 2011, I was convinced that the "Party With Marty" would carry us away from relegation battles and, I dreamed, into the veritable Eden of consistent top 10 finishes. Again, brilliant early results gave some credence to this faith as the Northern Irishman's side found fantastic form and results in late 2011 and early 2012. However, that house too came crashing down as the good performances ebbed away, and with them results and performances plummeted.</p>
<p>So whilst I do hold some doubts about Poyet's ability to save Sunderland this season, the primary reason for my caution is nothing to do with the Uruguayan, but is relating to his predecessors. Simply put, I've been hurt before. I would of course love to see Sunderland instantly transformed under a new manager into a team with no worries about relegation, a side that looks up the table rather than down, but I don't believe that the arrival of yet another new manager is all it will take for us to reach such dizzying heights. Poyet, even if he is a success on Wearside, is just another piece in the puzzle that Ellis Short is trying to assemble at Sunderland.</p>
<p>However, it is not just the failures of previous feted appointments that has made me feel more cautious about Poyet, there are also some slightly worrying factors inherent in our new head coach's footballing philosophy. His Brighton side were an excellent possession-orientated team that notably beat both ourselves and Newcastle in cup fixtures during his tenure, but as was mentioned in <a href="http://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2013/10/8/4799258/gus-poyet-what-can-we-expect">Chris' article on the new boss</a> they also failed to come from behind to win a game after August 2011.</p>
<p>Whilst this deficiency wasn't too readily apparent when they were one of the better sides in the Championship, if it carries over to Poyet's Sunderland side it is likely to be a big problem. No matter how optimistic you are, it has to be expected that we will fall behind a lot of times in games this season. It's essentially what Sunderland do. It doesn't matter if it's a wonder-goal like Aaron Ramsey's or a freakish one like Daniel Sturridge's; dropping the first goal tends to happen to teams scrapping in the bottom half, and especially, it sometimes seems, to us. If we are unable to fight back to claim a win in any games we fall behind in for the rest of this season, it's hardly pessimistic to feel that even with a more attractive possession-oriented style of football we could still be relegated.</p>
<p>I must stress that this is just a statistic, whilst two years is a worryingly long time for a side to go without fighting back from being behind to win a game it is not a<i> </i>fait accompli<i> </i>that this trend will follow Poyet to Sunderland. Hopefully after having time out to think about this failing, and gifted with a higher calibre of player, he will be able to correct the issue and find a way for his side to come back from behind without compromising the way he wishes his team to play.</p>
<p>Yet this is not my only worry. For years now one of the main complaints of many Sunderland supporters has been the lack of a real playmaker within the red and white ranks. The outcry for us to sign a midfielder who can "put his foot on the ball" has come about every transfer window in the last few years. Often in games Sunderland will push on to find an equaliser or winner, but despite exerting huge pressure and pinning back their opposition will eventually prove unable to find the crucial final ball to create a clear-cut chance. Recently both the Manchester United and Liverpool games witnessed this issue, and last season was littered with fixtures where this happened.</p>
<p>This could rise to be, if possible, an even bigger issue under Gus Poyet's possession-based style of play. "Sterile domination" is a term that has been used to describe how several teams of the last few years managed to dominate possession yet fail to pose any real threat to the opposition goal. Arsenal in the last few years and both Swansea and Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers can be found as particularly guilty of this.</p>
<p>It is noticeable that the recent improvement of the form of all three of these sides correlates directly to their adopting, at strategic times, a more "direct" style of play. Both of Luis Suarez's goals for Liverpool against us a few weeks ago showed Brendan Rodgers' side in their new mould, with the Reds sweeping forwards to execute impressive clinical counter-attacks with a minimum of fuss.</p>
<p>Likewise Arsenal have been the best team in the Premier League this season, and have also shifted to a more counter-attacking style of play. Mesut <span>Özil's first goal for the Gunners against Napoli last week was a perfect example of how attacking with purpose and speed can be more effective than simply dominating possession. Finally, this season Swansea under Michael Laudrup have averaged 59.6 long balls a game, the third most in the Premier League, yet their style is hardly indicative of a "lump it up to the big man" approach a la Tony Pulis' Stoke, and it proved to be both aesthetic and effective in Swansea's League Cup winning season last year. </span></p>
<p>I'm not trying to argue that possession football is utterly ineffective or pointless, as this is patently untrue, but it is possible to see sides starting to move away from a pure possession game with notable success recently. Even the most obviously successful possession-based side of the moment, Barcelona, have at times adopted a more expedient approach under new coach Gerardo Martino. Against Rayo Vallecano earlier in the season they had less possession than their opponent for the first time in five years, yet still managed to win 4-0.</p>
<p>When they do utterly dominate possession, Barcelona are blessed with players like Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta who can pick out the final killer pass to create a goalscoring opportunity, and this isn't really the case with Sunderland. The arrivals of Ki and Giaccherini have given us two more creative midfielders, but I still worry that if we do adopt a far more possession-oriented game we could end up dominating the ball, but still encountering our perennial problem of being unable to create a chance when our opposition stick massed ranks in defence.</p>
<p>This is not meant to come across as a negative piece. As I said at the beginning, I don't really believe there was a better available choice than Gus Poyet, however I do want to urge caution with him. As we have seen recently, a quick spike in results does not naturally mean that the new boss is going to become a success on Wearside, and I also possess some doubts about the efficiency of a heavily possession-oriented game. A quick upturn in results followed by our now annual slump will not be enough to save Sunderland this season. However, Poyet is a young and ambitious manager who should hopefully be willing, like Brendan Rodgers has done, to adapt his tactics to achieve success, and there is a long way to go in this season yet. Just like O'Neill, just like Di Canio, Poyet is not the Messiah - let's just hope he's also not just a naughty boy.</p>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2013/10/10/4821212/killer-passes-possession-and-messiahs-a-cautious-take-on-poyetNick Holden2013-10-10T10:00:05+01:002013-10-10T10:00:05+01:00Little Cause For Concern: The Positive Take On Gus
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<figcaption>Richard Sellers</figcaption>
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<p>We're offering up two varied views on Gustavo Poyet today, and we start with the more positive look at what he will bring to the table...</p> <p>So, here we go again. Another new manager plucked from the lower leagues with aspirations of turning this club around. Sound familiar? While such comparisons to the previous regime are easy to fall back upon, Poyet and Di Canio are even the same age for Pete's sake, I would argue that they are perhaps a tad lazy and don't take into account the wider picture, which may very well provide a more honest perspective.</p>
<p>With the arrival of Paolo Di Canio, all the talk on Wearside turned to non-football matters' including the Italian's supposed political beliefs and track record for controversy on the pitch to boot. In comparison, Gus Poyet has been a breath of fresh air and while he also has a flair for the odd "entertaining" press conference you can imagine he won't have Sunderland's PR Department on tenterhooks each time he is presented with a microphone.</p>
<p>Rather than put up with a similar media circus which followed Paolo's appointment, one which the club didn't exactly handle particularly well themselves I hasten to add, this time around we have instead been allowed to take stock and evaluate the potential of Poyet and what he can bring to the table.</p>
<p>What has got me excited about the Uruguayan's arrival is the potential that Sunderland might actually develop a genuine "identity" courtesy of Poyet's, dare I say it, philosophy.</p>
<p>Not since the counter attacking side of Martin O'Neill have Sunderland held a genuine tactical identity and one that they will stick to religiously. Even O'Neill bowed eventually to pressure from the crowd to move away from his original style of play. Indeed, I struggle to think of another manager before O'Neill that has tried to bring such an identifiable style of play to the table since the swashbuckling wing play of Peter Reid's successful sides which also keenly exploited the Quinn and Philips partnership to such devastating effect.</p>
<p>Granted, I'm no tactical expert, so feel free to propose any others I may have overlooked in the comments below.</p>
<p>So what will Poyet bring to the table? Unless you have been living under a rock these past few days you will surely have heard much attention being paid to the possession based style of play which the new Sunderland supremo prefers.</p>
<p>Whilst at Brighton, Poyet completely turned that club on its head in a bid to establishing his ideology. It didn't come over night, but given time he was able to effectively embed his style of play which brought with it eye-catching displays and results which very nearly saw Brighton in the top flight.</p>
<p>Reminiscent of Swansea of recent years, Poyet is known to be a fan of his goalkeepers playing the ball short from the back to the feet of his defenders rather than the all-too-familiar punt up field. This may very well herald a changing of the guard in the centre of defence as for all the experience John O'Shea boasts his distribution and ability on the ball are not his strong points. Now we know Roberge is a cool customer on the ball and in the future we could very well see him partnered with Diakite. Something to think about anyway.</p>
<p>4-3-3 is also known to be Poyet's formation of choice, one which he is known to persevere with even if a tactical change may be more beneficial to the circumstances. This lead to two startling statistics from Poyet's spell with Brighton:</p>
<p>1. The club went two seasons without coming from behind to win a game<br>2. Brighton never lost a single game having taken the lead with Poyet in charge</p>
<p>Personally I am not too concerned at Poyet's insistence on a 4-3-3 formation. One of the major plus points from Kevin Ball's brief spell as caretaker manager was how well setup the side seemed in that very formation. For example the inclusion of Lee Cattermole and Craig Gardner, alongside Ki, showed signs of promise.</p>
<p>My only real concern with Poyet's preferred system is how the Sunderland fans will react to such a stark change in mentality. I can already imagine the "Get it forward, man" brigade that reside behind me at the Stadium will likely give themselves a heart attack when they see a Sunderland side look to "play like Swansea"</p>
<p>This is where we all need to have some patience. Brighton fans' were unsure of Poyet's style of play at first; however they soon began to lap it up once everything clicked in place.</p>
<p>I suppose this again is an area for concern, given Sunderland's predicament, is the importance for points on the board more vital than an endeavour to play a neat, passing game? Win by any cost may well be order of the day for the time being.</p>
<p>With that said, if the fans can appreciate what Poyet is trying to achieve and have some patience with a side that is in transformation, a work in progress if you will, we may very well reap the benefits.</p>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2013/10/10/4823166/little-cause-for-concern-the-positive-take-on-poyetDavid Boyle2013-10-09T09:00:03+01:002013-10-09T09:00:03+01:00Gus Poyet In Quotes
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<figcaption>Richard Sellers</figcaption>
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<p>We try to get to know Gus Poyet a little better through the medium of assorted quotations. </p> <p><b>Poyet on encouraging his players to play the ball</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>It's well known in England that when the ball is going forward every centre-half in the division loves to head it as high and as long as possible back down the pitch.</p>
<p>We do that if it's a 50-50 ball. But if we are on our own, I tell them to bring the ball down, don't just give it away.</p>
<p>That doesn't mean we never play the ball long. It's not like we only pass the ball. But we have made a big change.</p>
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<p><b>Poyet on the use of a (Delap's) long throw</b></p>
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<p>It's fair. It's a way of getting some advantage. If I had the lad with me, I would use him, but not all the time.</p>
<p>If you use it at the right time, it's great. Roberto Carlos had a long throw but did you see him sending every throw into the box? No.</p>
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<p><b>Poyet on the basics</b></p>
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<p>People only look at the way we pass the ball and the way we take risks.</p>
<p>But our success is also because of the way we defend. We are the best team in defending. It's not sexy, like "Let's play fantastic flickies and one-twos and forget about the rest." No, no. First play the basics, which means you need to defend well.</p>
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<p><b>Gus Poyet on himself</b></p>
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<p>My mind is always on the football</p>
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<p><b>Poyet on educating young players</b></p>
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<p>Half the team (at Tottenham) didn't know much about football and you had to tell them everything</p>
<p>When I was at Chelsea, we spoke about football all the time, but it was different at Tottenham. Some of the players have things too easy. They have the best cars by the age of 21, whereas when I was playing we had to wait until we were 30.</p>
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<p><b>Poyet on his philosophy</b></p>
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<p>I understand the game one way - the game is played with one football, so you need to use it.</p>
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<p><b>Poyet on transforming Brighton's style of football</b></p>
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<p>We explain everything before working on it and trying to saturate it.</p>
<p>When I arrived, the team was very direct. They'd kick it for the sake of kicking it.</p>
<p>Now, I've shown them when to kick the ball, and when to attack with it. We went from one style of playing to the other, but that gives us balance, and now we are in great shape.</p>
<p>In the beginning it was difficult for the players. When they were tired, they'd still kick it in the sky. But slowly, we changed that reaction, and now the players are used to it - the fans too.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Poyet on changing fans' mentality</b></p>
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<p>If the fans want Brighton to change our style of play when we're top, they need another manager.</p>
<p>The team will play the way I want them to play: it's my team and my decision. If somebody starts panicking and kicking long because the fans shout, he's going to be out of the team.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Poyet on if fan reaction could influence his tactics</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>There are a few fans who don't understand the way we play</p>
<p>They've been watching football here for years and want the ball put forward as soon as possible. But it's impossible to please every single person. So I say, when it comes to styles, there is no right or wrong - some like it one way, some like it the other.</p>
<p>I know which I prefer.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Poyet on the need for tactical flexibility</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I'm always watching to see if the tactics are working, and if they're not, I'll react. You plan for games by expecting the opposition to play one way: if they are playing a totally different way, you need to adapt straight away.</p>
<p>We never go to three at the back or five though because English defenders are used to four. How I set out the rest of the team depends on what I believe is the best way to win.</p>
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<p><b>Poyet on the concept of a 'Plan B'</b></p>
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<p>But you know the famous Plan B in England? And the fans, they always blame the manager for not having a Plan B? Well, we have plenty of plans. The problem is, we managers are convinced that the way we start is always the best.</p>
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<p><b>Poyet on his managerial ambitions</b></p>
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<p>I want to manage at the highest level and would love to manage Chelsea or Arsenal. Why not?</p>
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<p><b>Poyet on facing top teams</b></p>
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<p>What I don't want is to change my principles and, because we are playing Arsenal, try to be a totally different team and lose anyway.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Poyet on Suarez race row</b></p>
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<p>If you are racist, you are against someone who is not like you. Because you are from another country, another continent, or because of the colour of your skin, for me it's the same. And in football they do it to make us react, to go crazy, so we deal with that. Patrice Evra should deal with that. Suarez is a lovely guy, and 100 per cent not a racist. I have texted him to support him and to say I'm available if he needs me."</p>
<p>In Uruguay it ['negrito'] is a nickname for someone whose skin is darker than the rest. It is not offensive. Such people are part of our society. We will defend them, go to war with them, share everything with them, and at the same time use that word. But I do understand that in England the word is used differently, so we have to pay attention how we use it. We need to adapt. Do we as foreigners need to adapt more to England than England to us? Yes, of course. That's common sense. I know things Luis Suarez does not know because I have been here 14 years. So let's use common sense and give the kid a chance.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Poyet clarifying his stance</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I didn't, at any time, defend Suarez against Evra. I will never do that because I am always the first one against racism and discrimination. I said that Suarez was using a word we use in Uruguay which is natural. He was not offensive at any time because I know how he used the word.</p>
<p>What I asked for was comprehension to understand that Suarez was here only for three or four months. Even if you have to punish him, understand and give him a chance.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Poyet (allegedly) on 'poodunnit?'</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>When Crystal Palace players and staff arrived to the Amex and went into their dressing room, they found themselves in a very uncomfortable situation.</p>
<p>For some reason, someone had access to the away dressing room and done something terrible, trying to upset everyone related to Palace. To say it in clear English, someone had a 'poo' all outside the toilets, over and around the toilets.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Poyet (allegedly) on paper clappers at the Amex</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Would someone like to admit it was their idea to hand out stupid pieces of noise-making paper?</p>
<p>I am not for one minute blaming the result on this, but it added only negative vibes to the proceedings.</p>
<p>Whoever you are, you let the club down very badly.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Poyet is a BIG fan of Liam Bridcutt</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>If I was coach of Real Madrid I would take him because he deserves to go to the highest level.<br><br>As a holding midfielder, there is no better player in the division. So he is quite expensive.<br><br>The best thing about Liam is that he understands me to an incredible level. The way he understands what I want from him is spectacular.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Harry Redknapp on Poyet's Brighton</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I must point out one non-Brit who has simply blown me away with his approach and that's Brighton's Gus Poyet.</p>
<p>I would recommend any young coach to go to see Gus's team in action. Brighton play with a verve and passion that sees them pass the ball brilliantly and effectively.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Vicente on Gus Poyet</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>He is the worst person I've come across in football.</p>
<p>The 31-year-old told the Argus: "For me he is a selfish person, very egocentric. I say that because it's how I feel.</p>
<p>I won't talk badly about my team-mates, because they have been fantastic with me. What I think is unacceptable is that the manager makes fun of his players. I've seen things here that I have never seen in my career. If you miss with a shot in training, he makes fun. For me, that is unacceptable in football.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Wayne Bridge strongly disagrees</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Gus has revitalised my love for football. He got me to focus and enjoy my football. He is a top-class manager both tactically and on the man-management side, one of the best I have worked with.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>And so does Steve Harper</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>He was very impressive. He will want Sunderland to play total football, playing out from the back, beginning with the goalkeeper, because he encourages his players to go out and express themselves.</p>
<p>He wasn't scared to let players know where they were going wrong or when they weren't doing what he expected of them, but he was approachable and friendly and tactically astute with it.</p>
<p>He is a likeable man. Sunderland's players will like working with him.</p>
<p>I could tell from the start he was destined to go on and do a big job in the Premier League.</p>
<p>The North East can chew managers up sometimes, but I think he's got the character to do well.</p>
<p>It certainly won't faze him.</p>
</blockquote>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2013/10/9/4818058/gus-poyet-in-quotesmichaelgraham2013-10-08T12:00:04+01:002013-10-08T12:00:04+01:00Gus Poyet: What Can We Expect?
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<figcaption>Richard Heathcote</figcaption>
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<p>With Gus Poyet taking over the vacant Sunderland manager's post, we thought it best to get the lowdown on what the Uruguayan could offer to the Black Cats.</p> <p>With that in mind, we got in contact with journalist Brian Owen of The Argus, Brighton & Hove Albion's equivalent of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/">Sunderland</a> Echo. Brian was able to experience Poyet's near four year reign from close quarters, and thus we felt he was the perfect man to offer us an insight into what we may come to expect should he take over on Wearside.</p>
<p><b>Firstly, what are your own thoughts on Gus Poyet as a manager? Do you believe he is ready for the Premier League?</b></p>
<p><i>Brian Owen:</i> Covering Brighton in the Poyet-era was a footballing education. He showed us a whole new way of playing, talked the game at length and with real passion and (with support from those above him) sharpened the club into a more professional outfit. He was the perfect man to have here during the move from council-run athletic track to state of the art stadium.</p>
<p>Is he ready for the Premier League? Well, I think he is ready to give it a go. I suppose whether he turns out to be up to the job remains to be seen. But it would not surprise me if he did a good job. He has very strong footballing principles which might work better with the sort of player he could afford in the top flight.</p>
<p><b>What regard is Poyet held among Brighton fans now, following his acrimonious departure?</b></p>
<p><i>BO:</i> Nothing like as high a regard as he was during his tenure here. He came to the club in November 2009 to fight a battle against relegation and successfully did that using by and large the players he inherited.</p>
<p>He also unearthed a couple of gems via loan deals and free agency but it was quite an English type of game. He only introduced what you would term "the Poyet way" of playing in the summer of 2010 and took League One by storm in 2010-11.</p>
<p>Supporters needed time to come around to his style of play but he was an absolute hero here right up until the final few days. I think it is easy to forget all that.</p>
<p><b>What of Poyet, the man? Obviously, Paolo Di Canio's man management skills, or lack thereof, aided his downfall at Sunderland. We know Vicente described Poyet as "the worst man in football," so can we expect more of the same? Is he too egocentric?</b></p>
<p><i>BO: </i>Yes Vicente spoke in far from glowing terms about him and he can be ruthless. Others though, including a couple he let go, have spoken rather more glowingly. Almost all the players he had last season were men he hand-picked. One obvious exception is the defender Adam El-Abd – but he transformed him as a player. So I think there was strong allegiance to Gus in the changing room and that several players were angry with Vicente’s comments.</p>
<p>He is fantastic with the media and public and will generate a really positive buzz around your club if he comes and things go quite well.</p>
<p>There is that "egocentric" criticism of him in some circles here but I’m not sure he would be the same at bigger club. He would be stepping up rather than stepping down. Equally, he would not have that feeling that "I got this club to where it is now" which he perhaps had towards the end here.</p>
<p>He comes across to me as less mad than Di Canio and, for in the media, he was a joy to work with. (By the way, Vicente was an astonishingly good player, the sort Poyet might be able to snap up as free agents from overseas).</p>
<p><b>At Sunderland, Poyet will expected to work under a Director of Football who has almost full autonomy over the club's transfer dealings. Is he the type of character who would be able to do this without friction?</b></p>
<p><i>BO: </i>Well he would know what he was letting himself in for. The rules and parameters would be in place when he arrived. At Brighton, the goalposts moved during his tenure. He wanted to be hands-on in all elements of the club which was fine when it was a small-time concern but changed when a head of football operations was brought in as the club grew almost overnight.</p>
<p>I think it really depends on who the DoF is and how much he can get his own way when it comes to deciding which players are brought in.</p>
<p><b>On the pitch, what can we expect from a Gus Poyet side? (In terms of general playing style, as well as tactical formations.) </b></p>
<p><b></b><i>BO: </i>Patient build-up (which took fans here a bit of time to get used to), full-backs pushing on, central defenders who are comfortable on the ball and will split wide to receive it, deep-lying midfielder coming deep to get the ball, one winger (who might swap wings), one centre-forward (who might get isolated away from home), ball players in midfield, not as many goal attempts as you might want.</p>
<p>If it’s anything like here you would see some amazing football and the occasional hammering by a strong, physical team. Possession is key – his mantra is that the opposition cannot score if they do not have the ball.</p>
<p><b>If plan A doesn't go according to plan, does he have a good record of being able to change games for the better? (ie. by way of substitutions, tactical changes?)</b></p>
<p><b></b><i>BO: </i>This is one area where he was criticised by fans and pundits alike. Substitutions were often made too late and he did not change things. Given that "Plan B" is often a way of saying "going long" perhaps that is not a surprise. And they did score some key late goals by sticking to their principles right to the end when the temptation might have been there to go more direct.</p>
<p>But Brighton’s record of never coming from behind to win a game from August 2011 until September 2013 underlines comebacks were not his thing.</p>
<p>On the flip side, they never lost after going ahead from Oct 2011 until the end of his tenure.</p>
<p><b> Are Sunderland taking another big risk if they appoint Gus Poyet at this moment in time?</b></p>
<p><i>BO: </i>A calculated risk I’d say. As Brighton were.</p>
<p>It’s really hard to know how far he can push on as a manager but his record here, taking Brighton from the fringes of the League One relegation zone to fourth in the Championship, speaks volumes.</p>
<p><b>Finally, do you believe he can be a success at Sunderland? </b></p>
<p><i>BO:</i> If success is keeping them up and playing good football, then yes. Really hard to say beyond that but I would not rule out the possibility of him being a Martinez-type figure and improving season on season.</p>
<p>And remember he was making a habit of beating <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://cominghomenewcastle.sbnation.com/">Newcastle</a> which I’m guessing would be a good start for you!</p>
<p><i>We'd like to thank Brian hugely for taking the time to chat with us. Find him on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/Brian__Owen" target="_blank">@Brian__Owen</a>.</i></p>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2013/10/8/4799258/gus-poyet-what-can-we-expectChrisWeatherspoon2013-10-08T11:30:19+01:002013-10-08T11:30:19+01:00Poll: Are You Happy With The Appointment Of Poyet?
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<figcaption>Laurence Griffiths</figcaption>
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<p>With the appointment of Gus Poyet as our new manager, are you happy enough with that?</p> <p>If you've only just got up, or are living under a rock this morning then you missed the news that Gustavo Poyet is our new Head Coach, signing a 2-year contract at the Stadium Of Light.</p>
<p>With this announcement, we're intrigued to find out if you're happy with the appointment. A look over Twitter seems to suggest some very mixed views, so we thought we'd get a poll going to see if we can get it down into some cold, hard numbers.</p>
<p>So are you delighted with the appointment of Poyet, and are excited at the prospect of something new happening and dare we even say some patient and modern football, or are you sat soaked in your own piss because we've appointed Paolo Di Canio Mk.II?</p>
<p>Let us know by voting in the poll. It counts towards absolutely nothing, but we still want to hear from you regardless because it makes our lives slightly more interesting.</p>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2013/10/8/4815568/poll-are-you-happy-with-the-appointment-of-poyetSimonWalsh2013-10-08T08:43:32+01:002013-10-08T08:43:32+01:00Taricco & Oatway Join Poyet's Staff
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<figcaption>Mike Hewitt</figcaption>
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<p>Mauricio Taricco & Charlie Oatway have linked up with Gus Poyet at Sunderland, just as they did at Brighton.</p> <p>In addition to announcing that Gus Poyet is our new manager, the club also announced that Mauricio Taricco have joined his staff at the club.</p>
<p>Both were employed under the Uruguayan at Brighton & Hove Albion previously, where Taricco was his Assistant Manager and Oatway a First Team Coach.</p>
<p>It makes our whole staff relatively youthful, with Poyet aged 45, Taricco aged 40 and Oatway aged 39.</p>
<p>Taricco will be remembered by many Sunderland fans for playing notably for Ipswich Town and Tottenham Hotspur as a fullback, although he's recently come out of retirement twice at Brighton to fill in in emergencies -- once against Woking where he was sent off, and once against Birmingham City... where he was also sent off.</p>
<p>Despite our problems in the position, lets just hope things don't get too bad otherwise we may see him appear for a third time.</p>
<p>"Charlie" Anthony Philip David Terry Frank Donald Stanley Gerry Gordon Stephen James Oatway, to give him his full name (named after the 1973 QPR team) was a bit of a club legend down at Brighton, and moved onto the coaching staff following the end of his career after spells at local colleges and Havant & Waterlooville.</p>
<p>Kevin Ball is expected to return to his position as the club's Development Squad manager.</p>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2013/10/8/4815470/taricco-oatway-join-poyets-staffSimonWalsh2013-10-08T08:24:15+01:002013-10-08T08:24:15+01:00Poyet Confirmed As New Head Coach
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<figcaption>Mike Hewitt</figcaption>
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<p>Uruguayan signed 2-year deal to become the new man in charge at the Stadium of Light.</p> <p>After weeks of speculation and going round the houses, Gustavo Poyet has been confirmed as the new Head Coach of Sunderland.</p>
<p>Having been the initial favourite for the job, Poyet expressed openly his willingness to take up the vacancy left by Paolo Di Canio. Then however things cooled as the club explored other options, and Poyet's odds even drifted out considerably.</p>
<p>However, after two weeks of Kevin Ball filling in, and doing a sterling job under the circumstances, over the weekend Ellis Short and his team came to a decision that Poyet was the man.</p>
<p>It's been made aware that the club always fancied Poyet for the job, with him impressing in an early interview with Short whilst Ball's side took on Peterborough in the Capital One Cup, and from then on no other applicant could match the Uruguayan's passion, skill and overall charisma.</p>
<p>Notably missing there is a body of work. Poyet learned some craft at both Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur before being allowed to cut his teeth at Brighton, where he won many plaudits for his brand of football, as well as moving the Southern side up the leagues.</p>
<p>Whether or not he can do it at a higher level remains to be seen, and is the major part of the clubs gamble in appointing Poyet.</p>
<p>Until he proves otherwise though, it's a warm welcome to Gustavo and his team. And we certainly hope he can turn our sinking ship around before it's too late.</p>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2013/10/8/4813688/poyet-confirmed-as-new-head-coachSimonWalsh