Premier League: Charlie Oatway welcomes Sunderland improvement
Thursday 22 January 2015 16:35, UK
Sunderland coach Charlie Oatway is convinced the club is in a better situation than it was this time last year.
The Black Cats, who entertain Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, are currently just a point clear of the Premier League relegation zone 22 games into the campaign.
However, after the same number of games last season they were two points worse off and in the bottom three, although they eventually retained their top-flight status after what head coach Gus Poyet later described as "the greatest escape".
Poyet inherited a squad which had collected just a single point from their opening seven games under Paolo Di Canio, but Oatway believes the club is now more stable and that significant steps forward have been taken.
He said: "When we came here last season, we had a point from seven games and then were constantly firefighting.
"I am not saying it is a lot better right now, but you can definitely see a certain amount of improvement. The players are showing that.
"It is about getting stable as a club now and making sure, every year we improve. Last year was a bit of lastminute.com, but this year we want to do it a lot earlier than that. We have a run of games coming up now that we think we can pick up points."
Burnley, QPR, West Brom, Hull and Aston Villa are among Sunderland's next seven league opponents, and that run of fixtures is likely to go a long way towards determining their fate this season.
They now have Jermain Defoe leading their attack and Londoner Oatway is delighted to have the England striker at the Stadium of Light.
Oatway said: "I am just so pleased we have got him because he is a southerner. He is someone I can speak to without having to repeat myself.
"All jokes aside, I have been so impressed with him. He's very forthcoming when you chat with him, he trains well, you see him in the gym looking after himself. He wants to do well.
"Last week, we asked him, 'How do you feel about playing at [former club] Tottenham?' and it was a no-brainer for him. He just wanted to play. I'm impressed with him as a man and a player.
"When you sign someone like Jermain, because he is a name, it gives everyone a lift. Everyone wants to impress him in training and show him what they have got.
"He gives everyone a little bit of oomph in their game."
