‘Bemused’ Michael Beale hits back at Sunderland critics after mixed start to his reign

Michael Beale said that he is “perplexed and bemused” by “the outside noise” around his status and believes that certain Sunderland supporters would never come around to his way of thinking.

After receiving harsh criticism on social media for a little over five weeks, the 43-year-old was prepared for the questions he was sure to get. The elephant in the room barely made a fleeting appearance because Beale was asked his opinion right away.

“There is definitely anxiety in the fanbase because we want to do well, but we’ve just lost two games, two close games,” he ventured.

There is still plenty to be gained because we are in a similar situation to when I took over. We just have to play the next game that is in front of us since I believe that some individuals weren’t thrilled when I arrived before I even started playing a game.

“I’m really happy with how the players are performing. The group’s unity and other behind-the-scenes aspects are good. All I have to do is continue working with the players. If the outcomes are what we expected, some people’s opinions may alter, but not everyone’s. I actually have to accept that as a fact.

It has been stated that the Stoke City game is a “must-win,” and as Beale insisted, victory would once again place Sunderland narrowly outside the play-offs.

“So there’s a huge crisis at this football club,” he remarked sarcastically. We are the newest team in the league, we don’t have the largest budget, and we now sit three points outside of the playoffs with a home game ahead of us.

“I’m a little puzzled and confused by the external object. The club [by ousting Tony Mowbray and installing him] made the decision. At the time of the move, we had won two out of nine. Four of the team’s nine league games have been victories.

“It seems to me that we are not scoring enough goals, which is a persistent problem. The last 18 or 19 games, we have only scored one goal each. We have to make an effort to fix that. We require all external assistance. I believe the team has to remain the center of attention.

He went on to say of the players, “They are a young team working hard.” We will eventually reward ourselves in the games, and that will have a beneficial effect.

We were undefeated for three games just a short while ago. I believe that we have been unfairly treated in the last two league games in particular.

“It was unfortunate to lose both games to set plays because they were very close games in which we had significantly more possession at our stadium than we did at Ipswich’s and Hull’s.

We want the team to run forward more quickly and play better in the last portion of the game. These are the projects we are working on, but I am thrilled with the input I am receiving from the internal players.

“We can only concentrate on the upcoming game, even though everyone is aware of the background noise.”