Lee Johnson has unveiled Sunderland’s blueprint for promotion involving "tunnel vision, warrior victories" and…. Michael Flatley dancing!
The Sunderland boss has urged his League One hopefuls to end their fourth season in the third tier with a top two finish.
Johnson will unleash new signing Patrick Roberts from the bench against Bolton saying he’s got quicker feet than Michael Flatley” and will have to do a Riverdance for his squad initiation.
And Johnson has explained how Sunderland are ready to halt their slide and start to climb back up the divisions.
The Wearsiders are pulling in 32,000 home crowds and taking 6,000 to Bolton today, with punters “keeping us honest.”
Johnson wants to deliver saying: “We have to keep that tunnel vision. The spirit has got to be good. The players have got to have that clarity. We have to feel that confidence, not arrogance, but it is a football arrogance.
“That balance is hard to keep the needle in the right position. Sometimes at clubs like this after a win everything is amazing and after a loss everything is drastic and it is doomsday.
“We have talked a lot this year about flattening the waves. If we don’t perform we need to know why and if we do perform we know why.
“We have been excellent, staff and players, at that this year. It has allowed us to bounce back from difficult moments. And we have had some good runs and tuned in on what we have done well.”
Being a one city club, the pressure and scrutiny are huge, compared with rivals.
Johnson added: “I have heard that mentioned. With the people, and the history of the families, that passion builds up.
“From the workplace to the match place on Saturday. The conversations through the week are around the football club.
“It is a great place to be on a football front. It is a really honest place. They tell you how it is, how they feel, but it is a supportive part of the world as well. Everyone wants you to do well, and we feel that.
“We want promotion for the fans. That is why we work hard every day to people please. As a kind in the park you score a goal and imagine a crowd cheering you. It is a privilege to have that for real.”
He added: “Normally players do a song for initiation but I might get Patrick Roberts to do an Irish jig! His feet certainly move very quickly.
“When you’ve got McGeady in full-flow, and you can see Clarke, Roberts, Pritichard and Embleton, it’s enjoyable putting on sessions that I would probably pay to watch.”
