Teemu Tainio confident Black Cats will survive

May 16 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

HAVING spent years dreaming of playing football in England’s top flight, Teemu Tainio is not about to let Sunderland slip out of the Premier League without a fight.

The Black Cats’ place in the division could be all but assured this weekend. Regional rivalries aside, a Newcastle United defeat at home to Fulham today would considerably improve Sunderland’s hopes, but victory for Bolton Wanderers over Hull City would be even more welcome on Wearside.

Were that to happen, a point for the Black Cats at Portsmouth on Monday would leave Hull needing the goal difference equivalent of snookers to stay up.

On the other hand, wins for Newcastle and the Tigers would see Sunderland going into that game in the bottom three.

Tainio grew up in Finland watching English football on television but he was 25 before he experienced it from the pitch, signing for Tottenham Hotspur after a seven-year spell with Auxerre. Having waited so long for the opportunity, he is in no mood to relinquish it.

“I came here and there’s no way I would expect to be in the Championship next season,” said Tainio, who left White Hart Lane for the Stadium of Light this summer in a triple deal which included Steed Malbranque and Pascal Chimbonda.

“I am a Premier League footballer and this is a Premier League club, so we have to make sure that is the case next season. It’s very important to every club to stay in the Premier League.

“We have two massive games coming up (Chelsea are their final opponents a week tomorrow) and we have to make sure this club stays in the Premier League.”

Even before the advent of the satellite television-driven Premier League, English football has long been popular way beyond the grounds that host it. Its appeal stretched to Finland, where a young Tainio’s love of it was first nurtured.

“We used to watch one (English) game every Saturday,” he revealed. “Everyone who liked football looked at the Premier League and I’m happy to be there now. For everyone who liked football that was the main game in Finland. I played seven years in France and in the back of my mind it was always coming to England that I thought about. I’m living my dream.”

Tainio will tune in at full-time to find out how the Magpies have fared but is determined not to become obsessed by matters beyond his control.

A couple of weeks ago Sunderland’s players outlined in private how many points they would need to ensure safety – and where they could get them.

With 36 points from as many league matches this term, Tainio believes they are pretty much on track.

“There’s always a lot of speculation going on but you have to keep focused on the games you have got because you can only affect what you are doing,” he said. “We said how many points we would need for survival and we are still on track.”

Left-back George McCartney will be pushing for a recall at Fratton Park. He has trained all week, for the first time since injuring his calf on international duty with Northern Ireland in March.

Portsmouth manager Paul Hart has hinted he could rest senior players if South Coast club’s own safety is guaranteed by Monday. Draws for Newcastle and Hull would give them only a theoretical chance of equalling Pompey’s points tally, defeats and Portsmouth will definitely be playing Premier League football in 2009-10.