Tuesday 8 October 2013 07:17, UK
Sunderland are expected to name Gus Poyet as their new manager by Tuesday evening, according to Sky sources.
Sunderland owner Short insisted at the weekend that staying in the Premier League was vital and great care would be taken to ensure the right man was brought in. "Here at the club, like every supporter, we would like to see long-term success on the pitch and stability at the club," Short said in his matchday programme notes ahead of the clash with Manchester United. "Unfortunately sometimes the quest for stability can be interrupted by the absolute necessity of staying in the league. "This is because the long-term aim becomes irrelevant if we aren't at the top level. "We now have a very important decision to make. Our only consideration in making that decision is what is best for the club. In doing so, we feel the weight of the entire city and beyond, along with the history of this massive football club. "The appointment of a replacement head coach is our priority and I urge you to ignore the speculation in the media about the selection process, because most of it is completely wrong." Ball admitted after the loss to United that he had 'no idea' when an appointment would be made, but did say that he felt the team had made progress since he took charge. He said: "There are standards I have spoken to them about in training. They have worked hard, but there are still a lot of areas to improve on."
