Nyron banishes the bad memories

May 10 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

SUNDERLAND may have done what they set out to this season but Nyron Nosworthy is adamant there was no complacency in last week’s 2-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers.

Roy Keane refuses to get excited about avoiding relegation this season, but having been part of the side demoted with just 15 points two years ago, defender Nosworthy shares his manager’s satisfaction at staying in the Premier League. “It is definitely a case of mission accomplished for us,” declared the 27-year-old, who is perhaps better placed than Keane to see the Black Cats’ season in its proper perspective.

“There have been a lot of thoughts and hard work put in, a lot of things tried out over the course of the season but it feels like it has worked because we’re staying in the division.”

It is six years since the Wearsiders finished a top-flight season outside the relegation zone – and then only by one place. In that context the club could perhaps be forgiven for feeling relieved.

A born winner like Keane, though, was having none of it and was livid with his players after their lacklustre display at the Reebok Stadium. Nosworthy was one of three players substituted after an hour last Saturday but he refuted any suggestion of complacency on his part.

“People have talked about complacency but I don’t really want to use that word because I never felt like that, I never felt relaxed just because we were safe,” he said.

“We knew Bolton were going to throw the kitchen sink at us, so the idea was to stay calm and try to play football. We didn’t do that but maybe that came over to outsiders as us not really being bothered. We were disappointed because we wanted to end the season with as many wins as we could possibly get.”

Keane made his dissatisfaction perfectly clear afterwards but, having worked with the Irishman for nearly two seasons, Nosworthy took it in his stride.

“He was disappointed and upset,” Nosworthy recalled. “We didn’t play too well and there is not too much we can change about that other than going out on Sunday and trying to put on a performance that makes up for it. I don’t think it (Keane’s reaction) has fazed the boys. We knew we were going to have some bad times but nothing was going to be as bad as what we went through last time we were in the Premier League.”