Michael Beale claims Sunderland are as big as Newcastle ahead of FA Cup derby
Michael Beale has insisted Sunderland has equal status with Newcastle as a huge club - apart from Saudi cash.
The Wearside head coach has ordered his players to “make it uncomfortable” for the Toon at the Stadium of Light today, and refused to concede that his side are underdogs. The financial gap between the North East rivals is huge with the Toon’s turnover ten times that of the red and white rivals 12 miles up the road.
Sunderland ’s squad cost £10m, and spent four years in League One before reaching the Championship play-offs last term. But United have spent £375m under Saudi ownership, their highest earners bank the same in a year as the entire Mackem squad.
Beale said: “Massive underdogs? Never in a derby, and certainly when you look at the past the way the results have gone, and it is 11 versus 11. There is no difference in terms of status, support, size and pool of the club. That is very similar, that is on a par with each other. The only difference between the two clubs is financially right now.”
Sunderland have won six of the last seven derby games. Despite huge home crowds of 42,000, they have only finished in the top ten of the top flight three times in the last 68 years.
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Sunderland boss Michael Beale insists the Black Cats are as big as their rivals Newcastle (YouTube/Sunderland AFC)Beale added: “If you look at the value of the two squads… everyone can see that. But I am not willing to concede we go into the game underdogs. They have spent a lot more money and our players have a lot more to prove than maybe one or two of the Newcastle players. So that is what I am looking for from mine.
“It is one thing having the ambition to go and play in the Premier League and believing you are good enough but it is important when you get an opportunity, you have to take it.”
Asked where he stood on the controversial Saudi ownership, Beale said: “They have a talented squad and have invested well in good players. It is really intriguing because we are doing something different here at Sunderland financially with younger players.
“It is two different visions if you like. One is getting there quickly, the other one trying to do it with younger players through a development route.”
Beale is learning about Sunderland history and got the book: Stoke, Sunderland 1973, about their last FA Cup win for Christmas. He also knows about Paolo Di Canio’s famous knee slide during a 3-0 win at St James’ Park. “I can’t promise a knee slide if we win but plenty of people have told me that’s how to celebrate!”
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