Teemu Tainio: This is the time to save our season

May 17 2009 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

TEEMU TAINIO says it is SOS time for Sunderland – Save Our Season!

The Black Cats go to Portsmouth tomorrow knowing that a win would make them safe . . . and avoid the nightmare scenario of having to rely on taking points off Chelsea at the Stadium of Light in the final game next Sunday.

Sunderland sit on 36 points with Hull on 35 and third-bottom Newcastle on 34. Failure to pick up any points against Portsmouth and Chelsea could relegate the Black Cats – IF Hull beat Manchester United and Newcastle win at Aston Villa.

So Laplander Tainio insists: “We have two massive games coming up – two games for us to save our season. It’s so important for this club to stay in the Premier League because this is where it belongs. But it is one thing talking about it; we’ve got two games to prove it.

“We know it will be very hard against Chelsea, no one wants to go into that game needing a result, but if that’s what it takes then that’s what it takes. However, the most important thing is beating Portsmouth because that would make sure we are safe.”

Tainio admits he never thought he would be involved in a relegation battle when he joined Sunderland from Spurs last summer, but the midfielder insists he does not regret making the move to the North East – and believes the Wearsiders will win their battle against the drop.

“I never thought when I came here that we would be involved in a relegation battle. I thought we would be competing in midtable. It’s been a strange season for everybody, but I don’t regret coming here.

“It’s not been the kind of season the players wanted, the fans wanted or the club wanted.

“But we can’t change that now – we just have to make sure that we stay in the Premier League.”

And Tainio added: “ I do believe we will stay up – definitely.”