Mick McCarthy admitted he was "embarrassed" after watching Sunderland crash to their 15 consecutive top-flight defeat on Sunday.
The Black Cats were easily beaten by Barclaycard Premiership runners-up Arsenal in a totally one-sided game at the Stadium of Light.
It brought to an end a miserable season for Sunderland, one which McCarthy is glad to see the back of.
He said: "We have deserved something out of some of the performances since I've been here but not this one.
"Today we got what we deserved because we were hopeless. I'm so angry and disappointed. I was embarrassed by that today. I didn't expect that."
The ex-Ireland boss is already looking to next season when he expects Sunderland to mount a serious promotion campaign.
McCarthy said: "It turned out that we would have needed 25 points out of nine games to survive this season, which was never going to happen.
"But I never envisaged that we were going to get nothing out of the nine games.
"Thank goodness it's over - I think everyone is saying that. We can now start with a clean slate. Hopefully people will still think I'm the right man for the job, the right man to turn it around. I think I am.
"It starts on August 9. We'll be level on points and we won't be playing catch-up. I'll be ready for it and hopefully the fans will be so we can have a right go at it."
Thierry Henry put in a super show and showed the Wearside faithful what they will be missing next season as Arsenal strolled to a 4-0 victory.
"Arsenal are a great side, they don't have to look for help from anybody but we gave it to them," moaned the Sunderland boss.
"It will leave a bitter taste in people's mouths over the summer. I will not accept that from a Mick McCarthy team. It was embarrassing.
"We were up against a good side but we laid down and rolled over. If it wasn't for Tommy Sorensen they could have had a few more goals." |
