Gus Poyet has been sacked by Sunderland – but where did it go wrong for the Uruguayan?
After sensationally keeping Sunderland in the Premier League last season, Poyet's tenure has ended after a 4-0 thrashing at home to relegation rivals Aston Villa.
We look at key moments during Poyet's reign at the Stadium of Light which led to his dismissal…
The 8-0 defeat at Southampton
“It’s probably the most embarrassing time I’ve had on a football pitch,” was how Poyet summed up his Sunderland side’s hammering at St Mary’s in October.
Own goals from Santiago Vergini and Liam Bridcutt plus strikes from Graziano Pelle (2), Jack Cork, Dusan Tadic, Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane condemned Sunderland to their heaviest defeat in 32 years. In the aftermath, players offered to refund travelling fans for the 660-mile round trip.
“It's unacceptable,” added Poyet. “I learnt a lot about the players today - the bad side, the characters who stopped and there were a few who gave up. I know who they are so it is very important for me for the future. I know the players I can count on in difficult situations.”
Arsenal and Manchester City were the only teams to beat Sunderland in their next nine fixtures, but the humbling against Southampton highlighted problems in the Black Cats camp – and quashed hopes the club would avoid the relegation battle they had miraculously escaped in 2013/14.
Clashing with supporters
After a 0-0 draw at home to Championship side Fulham in the FA Cup in January, Poyet turned on the club’s fans who had vented their anger during the game. Poyet went on to slam the style of football the club played when they achieved two seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League in 2000 and 2001 and insisted the supporters had to have patience with his regime.
“The fans are still living in the past,” he said. “They want Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips back but I’m sorry, I can’t bring them back. You can’t live in the past. Football’s completely different today.
“Quinn and Phillips was kick and rush and it worked perfectly but it’s impossible now, you’d never get the ball back. I understand the fans booing at the end and half-time probably, but during the game I don’t. You have to be very strong to play here and that’s creating a little bit of a problem. My message to the fans is patience.”
Following a subsequent defeat to Bradford City in the FA Cup – in which fans had sung ‘Gustavo Poyet, it’s always our fault’ - he issued an open letter to the fans urging them ‘not to break our relationship’.
However, that relationship hit a new low on Saturday during the 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa as fans – who have seen just two wins at home all season - threw objects at the Sunderland dugout, hurled abuse in the manager’s direction and left before half-time.
Poyet’s signings haven’t worked
As head coach, Poyet is not primarily responsible for the signings made by Sunderland, but two players he recruited from his former club Brighton, Will Buckley and Liam Bridcutt, have not become regular starters for the club.
Bridcutt – who was signed in January 2014 - deputised for the suspended Sunderland captain Lee Cattermole in defensive midfield on Saturday, but was cruelly exposed by the Aston Villa attack. He has made nine Premier League starts this season.
Buckley, meanwhile, hasn’t started a game since New Year’s Day and has been sidelined for the past two months with a knee injury. He has managed just 80 minutes of football in 2015 - and eight starts this term - with his last appearance coming in that much-maligned goalless draw with Fulham in the FA Cup.
Poyet also pushed for the club to sign Jermain Defoe. While it is perhaps too soon to judge the England striker’s contribution, it is clear Bridcutt and Buckley have not had the impact the Sunderland boss was hoping for.
A fortnight to forget
Poyet has denied an improper conduct charge from the FA after clashing with Hull City boss Steve Bruce and kicking over a crate holding water bottles during the hotly-contested 1-1 draw at the Black Cats’ relegation rivals earlier this month.
However, that would have been the least of his worries after seeing his side crumble to a 4-0 defeat at home to Villa at the weekend. The result means Sunderland haven’t won in six top flight games and are just one point above the relegation zone, while the performance in the opening 45 minutes on Saturday incensed the home support.
“I’m responsible so I totally understand the anger and I’m going to take it,” Poyet said after the game.
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