Monday 20 November 2017 13:05, UK
Chris Coleman says he will ditch any player who does not have the heart to fight to revive Sunderland’s fortunes.
Coleman resigned as Wales boss on Friday and was unveiled as Sunderland manager two days later, penning a two-and-a-half year deal to succeed Simon Grayson as the club's new manager.
Sunderland are languishing at the bottom of the Championship with just one win in 17 league matches this season.
Sunderland have won just once at home in their last 21 matches in all competitions but Coleman is convinced he is the right man to get the club back on track.
"I said yesterday this is not the place to be if you have not got heart," he told reporters at his first press conference as Sunderland manager.
"If you haven't got heart or courage then you cannot be here because you need that to perform at a big stadium, at a big football club, where there has been plenty written and plenty happened that has been deemed as negative. But I have seen a lot of positivity at this football club.
"We know we are being beaten over the head with 'we haven't won in so many games at the Stadium of Light', but I said the same thing with my Welsh team - we have to prepare right. If you do that then sooner or later the results will come your way.
"I know all the challenges here. I'm under no illusions but I can't tell you how excited I am. It's a big task, a huge challenge, and I certainly won't be in my comfort zone up here.
"It's a huge club. The temptation to be part of that and experience that and to try and make a difference here was just too big for me.
"I'm sure managers have sat here before and thought the same thing but I have the opportunity to manage a big football club - a seriously big football club - and I wasn't going to turn that down."
Sunderland are four points adrift of safety heading into tomorrow's clash away at fifth-placed Aston Villa. Coleman admits their league position is a precarious one but is confident he can get the Wearsiders moving in the right direction once again.
"We've played 10 or 15 games and you don't get relegated after that amount of games," he said.
"We know if we don't pick up and improve with 10 games to go and we are in the same position then we are in a relegation battle.
"There are a lot of games to play and there is time for us to improve. We are standing on the edge of the cliff and we have to move backwards and find a different direction to walk in because we are going down the wrong one, it is as simple as that."
