Following his appointment to Sunderland, Michael Beale is aiming for a play-off spot.

MICHAEL BEALE feels he has inherited a Sunderland side that is more than capable of making the play-offs this season – and is adamant he will not be radically overhauling the playing style that was developed under his predecessor, Tony Mowbray.

This afternoon, Beale held his first press conference as Sunderland’s head coach. On Saturday, he will oversee his first game in the role when the team hosts Coventry City at the Stadium of Light.

Most new managers take over because a team has been playing poorly, but Beale takes over Sunderland, who have won just three of their last nine games and are currently ranked seventh in the Championship.

Last season, Mowbray led the Black Cats into the playoffs, and Beale acknowledges that a top-six finish this year is a necessary.

The new head coach of Sunderland stated, “The club has a vision and processes I really believe in to get to where we all want to go, which is back to the Premier League.” In terms of expectations, the club is driven by the supporters, who demand that. That is very significant.

“Every single player in our dressing room wants to go to the Premier League. It’s a young dressing room, and that’s where we think the potential of our players is.

We’re one of a few teams that think we can go and make the playoffs, but the top two teams have set a really quick pace in terms of where they’re heading. Even though there was a setback over the weekend, we should remain positive and demand better given where the season has started and where it is currently at.

Both our supporters and we ourselves ought to make that demand. We must insist on those requirements. Our goal is to position ourselves to be able to push and reach that goal following the March international break.

We were able to do it last season by playing with a somewhat different style and a slightly different group composition—possibly an older bunch. Why then wouldn’t we aim high and pursue that once more?

Sunderland had a reputation for playing beautiful passing football under Mowbray, with their exciting young forwards occupying a variety of positions in the final third.

In an effort to build on the progress made in recent years, Beale will keep pushing his players to express themselves and play freely when in control. He obviously believes there is room to strengthen the Black Cats, though, and in the next weeks he will attempt to add his own touch to the team.

“It is expected that whoever manages Sunderland will win football games,” Beale stated. “I would turn it around and argue that I enter the situation well because of Tony’s excellent work and the foundations he left behind. Another plus is that we’ve maintained the current workforce.

“Although I don’t know Tony well personally, I recall sending Ryan Kent on loan to Coventry City many years ago, when he had players like James Madison, Adam Armstrong, and others. I have always enjoyed watching the teams he has had.

The fans of Sunderland have evidently loved his team’s wide-ranging and free-flowing performance. That’s what we’re going to keep doing, and perhaps we’ll add a little something extra. Without a doubt, Tony is an excellent manager, and I have a great deal of regard for Mark Venus as well.”