Martin O'Neill starts Sunderland 'challenge' with ambition

Dec 11 2011 by Steve Brown, Sunday Sun

AS befitting a man who comes across as being – with respect to the rest – a cut above the intellect of the common or garden football type, and because going last means such things tend to meander, Martin O’Neill’s first dispatch to the Sunday Press did wander down some tracks less beaten.

From Latin to the law, Tampa to Toronto with Cloughie, family and friends and recent months as a couch potato football fan, his has been a different, less typical path.

Inevitably though, as seems to have been the case for the man, all roads eventually led to Sunderland.

And having succeeded Steve Bruce ahead of today’s crunch clash against Blackburn Rovers at the Stadium of Light, O’Neill couldn’t be more content – so long as he remembers to give owner Ellis Short a wide berth in the event of any defeat.

Asked if he thought it his destiny to one day manage Sunderland – whom he supported as a boy – he said: “You know, I’m nearly going to say yes to that now that I’m in the job. I know it’s maybe overblown.

“But when Niall phoned to say Mr Short wanted to meet me, I was incredibly excited.

“It was an opportunity and I didn’t want to ruin it.

“So when people are asking about questions like transfer budgets and things, it (not discussing them) maybe had as much to do with the fact that the less I said the better from that viewpoint.

“I think it’s a great challenge. I’m ready for the challenge.

“The longer you stay out, people tend to overlook you.

“I just don’t know what the view is out there, but there’s every possibility that might happen.

“You still have to be asked to do the job.”

Now he has, the hard work begins.

The loose aim: drag the Black Cats away from the relegation zone and into the top 10.