As Sunderland's financial plight continues to overshadow Mick McCarthy's attempts to fashion a squad capable of returning to the top flight, full-back George McCartney has backed his boss to come good.
The Northern Ireland international believes McCarthy's nine-game spell in charge of the club at the end of last season – in which the Black Cats failed to pick up a single point - will help him rebuild the side as they prepare for the beginning of the new campaign in Division One.
Although the period had few highlights for the former Republic of Ireland boss, McCartney is convinced it allowed Sunderland's third manager of the season to assess what he needs to do in order to take the club back into the Premiership.
The 22-year-old said: "The club had three different managers last season and that made it hard for everyone. Every time a new manager comes in, the players have to prove themselves again and that makes it very hard because one manager can have one opinion of you and another has another, but hopefully we are settled now and we can just concentrate on the football.
"Mick McCarthy has come in and, even though he has essentially got the same group of players, he has lifted the whole squad and we want to repay his faith in us. "He'll start the new season with the advantage of having seen us last season and having had the whole pre-season with us."
The Belfast–born defender, who turned professional with Sunderland in 1998 and has now appeared in over 50 games for the club, admits that the players cannot wait for August 9 and the start of the new season.
He said: "We are just back into pre-season training now and it has been pretty hard - it always is - but it will prepare us properly for the new season and hopefully it will help us come straight back up.
"The hard work starts now. We have to forget about last season and look forward to the new campaign and concentrate on getting back into the Premiership.
"It was difficult for the players and the supporters last season - every club has its ups and downs but last year was really bad. But once we get the season underway then hopefully we can repay the supporters by getting results.
Sunderland fans were resigned to the fact that several key players would almost certainly leave over the summer but, so far, that has not happened and McCartney believes that whoever is at the club for the first game of the season – a tricky trip to Nottingham Forest – will be giving their all.
"There was a lot of talk about certain players leaving but they are still here and I’m sure they will have come back more determined than ever," he said.
"If they are still here at the start of the season then they will want to put in some good performances and hopefully make up for last year."
However, the failure to bring in much-needed revenue through the projected sales of stars such as Kevin Phillips and Thomas Sorenson has left Sunderland with further financial problems.
They have called in the PFA in an attempt to broker a deal to defer the payment of players' wages as they look to ease the financial burden of their £30millions debts.
PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor told Sky Sports News: "We have been to the club and there have been talks with players and looking at getting the co-operation of players with regards to the deferment of wages until the financial situation at the club picks up.
"It is not a question of contracts being cancelled, but there may well be some contracts cancelled and there may well be some players who stay and agree to defer some of the money."
He added: "We were very impressed by the attitude of the players at the club. They are being realistic and practical about the situation."
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