Players should be ashamed - Sbragia

Apr 27 2009 By The Journal

SUNDERLAND boss Ricky Sbragia told his players they should be "ashamed and embarrassed" after surrendering their chance to make a decisive break from the relegation zone with an "unacceptable" performance at West Brom.

Sbragia did not hold back after watching his team turn in their worst performance of his four-month tenure, admitting he felt let down by players that he has given extra responsibility to shape their own destiny since taking over.

Sunderland were booed off at half-time and full-time by a sizeable away support, and some were left indignant that most of the players did not acknowledge them afterwards.

The Black Cats boss promised to address that with his players, after warning his team risk relegation if they plumb the same depths again.

"I hope the players are ashamed and embarrassed - they should be. It’s not acceptable for players wearing the Sunderland top," Sbragia said. "In general I think we were poor. We just seemed to have a team of individuals.

"I thought West Brom did well and caused us problems but we weren’t good enough.

"We seemed to wait for things to happen rather than make them happen and we got what we deserved – nothing.

"I don’t think we were complacent (after the Hull win). We approached today’s game in the same way as the

Hull game we just didn’t turn up, simple as that. We’ve got all to play for but I thought we looked disinterested."

Sbragia and his players now face an uphill struggle to get the supporters back on side

after a performance that left the die-hard travelling support incandescent with rage. Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse, who failed to make much of an impact against the division’s worst defence, were among the chief fall guys but most players came in for criticism.

While some of the squad acknowledged the fans, most disappeared down the tunnel – and Sbragia said that was unacceptable.

"I didn’t really see what happened, I was up the tunnel but I would have hoped the players would go across (to the fans)," he said. "The fans do spend a lot of money and they do travel a long way to watch us. If they didn’t do that we’ll speak to them about that.

"Sunderland fans have always been die-hards, they’ve always stuck with us. They’ve probably seen a few performances like that in the last 14 or 15 years but from my point of view that’s not acceptable.

"They’ve spent a lot of money, they come and support us and the one thing we should give them is commitment. It hurts me too. I know how they feel - I just hope the players appreciate that."

At a loss to explain the poor performance, Sbragia promised improvements for the next home match against Everton – by which time they could be deeper in trouble at the bottom of the table.

"We’ll be a lot more committed for the Everton game, that’s for sure," The Black Cats boss said.

Carlos Edwards accepted that the supporters were within their rights to vent their spleens at the players, who had been given a dressing down afterwards. The winger, who was substituted in the second half, had endured a difficult afternoon but he was not alone as Sunderland turned in a performance that was much worse than the spirited Hull display.

"We are very disappointed. The standard is not what we are capable of and we got a good talking to. The team performance was not good enough and the manager was not very happy.

"I walked straight down the tunnel. If the fans reacted in a negative way they are within their rights.

"They are paying their money to come and support the team and after a performance like that they have a right to give their opinion. If the players got a bit of stick then all they can do is take it. We need to put that performance behind us and kick on."