Jack Ross only has eyes for cup progression tonight despite Sunderland’s hectic fixture schedule at present.
- Check out the Netflix ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die’ trailer now!
- Cash turnstiles are in operation for tonight’s match.
This evening, Sunderland play their fourth match already in December with the month barely 11 days old as Walsall come to the Stadium of Light.
Battling to advance to the third round of the Emirates FA Cup where Bolton Wanderers await the victors, Ross’ side head into tonight’s game unbeaten in their last 16 matches – a run which includes two games against tonight’s opponents.
But as the Black Cats prepare to face the Saddlers for the third time in three weeks, Ross admitted at his press conference on Monday that cup progression is key to developing the culture he is trying to achieve at the club.
“I’m fortunate that I’ve got players who have contributed this season, so I have players available to play who have been good for us this season,” he said.
“There needs to be a balance of what we have now and what lies ahead because we obviously have Bristol Rovers on Saturday and then Portsmouth, so it’s a really busy schedule.
“We have to try and plan ahead as well as we can, but I certainly don’t think we’ve differentiated between the importance of competitions.
“’I have been very honest, promotion is the absolute priority for us and that will remain throughout the course of the season, but we’re trying to create a mentality within the club this season to win every single week,” he continued.
“If we’d have exited every cup competition at the first time of asking then it probably would’ve meant we wouldn’t be having the league season we are, so it is important we continue our momentum.”
