Wednesday 5 October 2016 22:56, UK
Niall Quinn believes David Moyes should be afforded time to implement his own methods at Sunderland despite the club's poor start to the season.
The Wearsiders are bottom of the Premier League with just two points from their opening seven games and their only wins all season have come against lower-league opposition in the EFL Cup.
Moyes has cut a figure of frustration more recently but Quinn - a former Sunderland player, manager and chairman - maintains he should be allowed to see the job through to next year at least.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "He just needs to get about three months under his belt, to get his way into play and then maybe have a strong window in January, where he can get more assistance and perhaps do what Sam Allardyce did for the club.
"It's going to take a little bit longer. He's different to what Sam had done. The club was unfortunate, of course, the man went off to manage England.
"We now realise it was probably unfortunate Sam himself went off to manage England.
"They had a little bit of catching up to do and David Moyes came in, not with one arm tied behind his back, but he couldn't do a lot in the window.
"He was trying to get his team together and injuries have mounted on him as well.
"I suppose to be in contention and to get to January and get into a good place and maybe get a player or two - a goalscorer in particular - is probably what he needs to do.
"I hope it all clicks pretty soon but they've a lot of work to do and they've got to start spreading the goals about. Relying on Jermain Defoe, it's going to be tough."
Sunderland's most recent games saw them sacrifice a two-goal lead at home to Crystal Palace and lose 3-2 then come back to draw 1-1 at the Stadium of Light with West Brom.
Despite that, Quinn maintains there were positives within the matches which should offer encouragement for the future.
He added: "You've two home games there and on paper you're looking at six points - is that achievable? Four would be great. Okay, three? Not bad. One? It's not great.
"I've spoken to a lot of Sunderland fans who have supported them through thick and thin and there were signs in those two games things were coming together."
