At this early stage of the season it’s foolhardy to make sweeping statements about football. Yet I think we can already say with certainty – Sunderland’s new manager is a breath of fresh air. Yes there will be bumps along the way. Yes the Black Cats will likely have an inconsistent level of form until the squad really get to grips with a new methodology. But Simon Grayson is a perfect fit for the club and that will buy him time.

He doesn’t have the braggadocio of Sam Allardyce or the stinging one liners of a Roy Keane but Grayson understands football and like those two former fan favorites, he ‘gets’ Sunderland.

His press conferences have to date been impressive too and his ability to be honest about the situation the club finds itself in, while still managing to motivate the red and white faithful is striking.

His predecessor infamously bemoaned that new players bought in January would be unlikely to make any real difference to a season riven by years of mismanagement. Of course this was just one of many positivity zapping statements which became draining to fans and no doubt players alike. In Grayson, we’ve lurched from a level of pessimism and misery usually reserved for a Radiohead set list to someone who is instead adept at inspiring those languishing in the doldrums.[[MORE]]https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/football/premier-league/

The Yorkshireman is quietly going about transposing his experience of the lower leagues, where heart, blood, sweat and tears are still common place, onto a club bereft of those qualities for too long and it may just stop the rot.

Can Sunderland achieve success under Grayson’s stewardship? Well, it depends upon your definition of ‘success’. If the new man can apply a tourniquet to a club hemorrhaging confidence and steady the ship that would be an achievement in my book. Small steps are being taken but I’m actually enjoying watching Sunderland at the moment and as a supporter that simple pleasure can’t be underestimated.