Sunderland

Gus Poyet 'already planning for next season'

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 09 May 2014

Gus Poyet is already planning for next season after 'miraculously' keeping Sunderland in the Premier League, according to the club's first-team coach Charlie Oatway.

Gus Poyet is already making plans for next season, only days after securing Sunderland's Premier League status, according to first-team coach Charlie Oatway.

Poyet has masterminded the Black Cats' 'miraculous' escape from relegation trouble, with a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday sealing their survival.

It was Sunderland's fourth successive victory and lifted them to 14th in the table, when they had previously been seven points adrift of safety on April 7.

However, rather than take a moment to enjoy what he has achieved, his assistant Oatway has revealed that Poyet has already begun trying to get the Stadium of Light house in order for next term.

Oatway told reporters: "Gus has done a fantastic job with the players and the club, but now we have got work to do, sorting out players, looking at options that we might have to bring in or whatever and see what happens in the market, whether people come in for your players.

"We don't know what's going to go on, we haven't got a crystal ball, so we don't know. But there's work to be done now and we have to get it done and make sure we get our foundations sorted out as much as possible now.

"Gus is the sort of manager who likes to try to get his house in order for pre-season - and that's easier said than done - but at least then you know the group of players you have got. Then you can work on things, how you are going to play, constantly during that pre-season, so the first thing he wants to do now is sort out what we have got now, and then whoever we bring in or we get rid of, that happens."

Sunderland finish the season by hosting Swansea City on Sunday afternoon.