Luton Town forward Cameron Jerome believes Alex Neil is the right man to lead Sunderland back to the Premier League. The former Norwich City striker won promotion under Neil's guidance at Carrow Road and believes the Black Cats boss has done a remarkable job.
That opinion was echoed by Alex Bruce, son of former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce. Speaking to Football Daily's 72, Alex Bruce said: "Yeah you did, I think when you're the favourite, you have to credit Alex Neil and the Sunderland players. I had a similar situation in my first season in football with Sheffield Wednesday.
"We played Hartlepool in the League One play-off final. When you come out the stadium, come out onto the pitch and you just see three quarters of the ground, in your own colours like Sunderland were the other day, the one thing you have to do is turn up and meet the expectation of the occasion.
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"They certainly did that. They scored at the right times and they dominated the game. They were by far the better team on the day. Fair play to the players and Alex Neil for coping with the occasion.
"There's a saying in football to play the day not the occasion and they did that. Both clubs, Newcastle and Sunderland, the intensity of the North-East, there's no place like it in my opinion.
"They live and breathe football up there but all these things, you have to take them into consideration with the job that Alex Neil has done. Think of the expectation, Wembley would have been a bad place if they'd been beaten on Saturday.
"Think of what he's achieved, he's put smile on faces and for all the Sunderland fans I'm sure they're looking forward to a Championship campaign next season. It's going to be a difficult job because the Championship is going to be very, very competitive next season, but with Sunderland in it, they'll always be able to attract players and given the right tools I'm sure Alex Neil will do a good job."
Sunderland were not fazed by their play-off history and Jerome was impressed by their start to the game. He said: "Those things are there to be broken aren't they. You can't get too caught up in stats but I thought Sunderland were really professional.
"Alex Neil, his experience getting promoted through the play-offs, he's done it twice with myself at Norwich and up in Scotland with Hamilton. I think that played into Sunderland's hands a little bit. Just the way Alex goes about his business having played under him.
"I know exactly what he's like and how he'll have the players relaxed but really fired up. You could see Sunderland came out the traps really quick and put the game straight to Wycombe. They had a few early chances and scored goals at the right time.
"The first goal was a well worked goal, the second goal probably just killed off Wycombe's hope of a revival. They fully deserved to win and the expectation of that football club is huge, so it's good to see a big club back in the Championship and I'm sure Sunderland will go well again next year."
When asked if Neil was the man to consolidate Sunderland's position and then kick on, Jerome said: "Absolutely. I've got a lot of time and respect for Alex, the job he's done has been remarkable. He got Norwich promoted and couldn't quite keep us in the Premier League.
"He's then gone to Preston and done well on not much of a budget to spend up there. You can see the pedigree of him as a manager and he would have looked at that Sunderland job and went 'I fancy a bit of this, this is a bit of me, I can rise to the occasion and be the person to take Sunderland to the success of recent days, winning the Championship and if not up to the Premier League.' I think he'll take that in his stride and relish the challenge, having known what he's like."
