Poyet enjoying pressure of the job

Despite a difficult few days at Sunderland, head coach Gus Poyet insists he is relishing the high-pressure situation.

Gus Poyet is feeling the pressure at Sunderland, but says he is enjoying the challenge as he looks to guide the club away from danger.

Last week, Sunderland became the first team to lose at home to QPR in the Premier League this season, before they were dumped out of the FA Cup fifth round by League One’s Bradford City.

Poyet lashed out at the media after that game, claiming they had attempted to turn the Sunderland supporters against him, and earlier this week he penned an open letter to the fans in an attempt to repair the relationship.

With a crucial home clash with West Brom on Saturday, Poyet insists he is revelling in the pressures that come with the job.

“I like pressure because it’s the way I have been brought up,” he said. “When you are in Uruguay and when you play football and when you play for the national team, the pressure is there to win.

“There is no other result, so it is part of my life.

“Can I work without pressure? I don’t know – I have never done it so far. I have never played football or managed without pressure.

“I suppose it would be nice, but maybe I would not be myself after because I don’t have the pressure. I don’t know. It’s part of the game. I like it, I really like it.”

Poyet also took time to explain the reasons behind his letter to the fans.

“There were too many things going around,” he said. “You never know if it’s right or wrong and there is no better way than putting things clearly with your own words – because it is clear it was me, there was not any help from anyone, not even from my staff or anyone. It’s me, simple.

“That’s the best way to do it. It wasn’t me going behind anyone, it was me just doing the right things through the right channels and making sure that everybody with pleased with it, it was not just a baby not being happy and trying to do something on his own.”