Post by Les on Mar 22, 2019 10:20:06 GMT
www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jack-ross-sunderland-title-hope-16006453
Why Jack Ross hasn't given up on the League One title for Sunderland
Jack Ross has not given up on winning the League One title with Sunderland.
Promotion back to the Championship has been the Black Cats' No 1 priority all season, with the top two automatic spots the key target.
Sunderland are currently battling with Barnsley for second place, with the Wearsiders just two points behind the Tykes with a game in hand.
That gap is likely to be stretched over the coming weeks, with Sunderland not in action this weekend due to the international break, nor the following weekend due to the Checkatrade Trophy Final against Portsmouth at Wembley.
Barnsley have games at Walsall and at home to Coventry before the Black Cats play again in League One, while leaders Luton host sixth-placed Doncaster this weekend, and travel to Bristol Rovers on March 30.
The Hatters are seven points ahead of Sunderland at the top of the table, but while that could be as much as 13 points before the Wearsiders take on Accrington on April 3, Ross' men would have three games in hand.
And the Black Cats boss still hasn't ruled out a title challenge.
“I've never really discounted it probably because I've got to understand how difficult this league is - every game's so hard," Ross explained.
“I know people naturally get caught up in who do they play next and after that, and think 'They'll win this, they'll win that.' I know how tough Gillingham at home is tough - we found that. I don't know who they play next, but it'll be tough.
“Barnsley have got Walsall next - tough."
Checktrade Trophy final
Ross has consistently played down talk of who has the advantage at any particular stage of the season, preferring his side to steadily accumulate the points they need to put them in the best possible position.
And he knows there will be more twists and turns before the season comes to a climax in May.
“The nature of this league is that almost everyone is fighting for something," he added.
“I probably just always believed that we could reach a points total which will give us a good chance of success and we're still on course for that."
Why Jack Ross hasn't given up on the League One title for Sunderland
Jack Ross has not given up on winning the League One title with Sunderland.
Promotion back to the Championship has been the Black Cats' No 1 priority all season, with the top two automatic spots the key target.
Sunderland are currently battling with Barnsley for second place, with the Wearsiders just two points behind the Tykes with a game in hand.
That gap is likely to be stretched over the coming weeks, with Sunderland not in action this weekend due to the international break, nor the following weekend due to the Checkatrade Trophy Final against Portsmouth at Wembley.
Barnsley have games at Walsall and at home to Coventry before the Black Cats play again in League One, while leaders Luton host sixth-placed Doncaster this weekend, and travel to Bristol Rovers on March 30.
The Hatters are seven points ahead of Sunderland at the top of the table, but while that could be as much as 13 points before the Wearsiders take on Accrington on April 3, Ross' men would have three games in hand.
And the Black Cats boss still hasn't ruled out a title challenge.
“I've never really discounted it probably because I've got to understand how difficult this league is - every game's so hard," Ross explained.
“I know people naturally get caught up in who do they play next and after that, and think 'They'll win this, they'll win that.' I know how tough Gillingham at home is tough - we found that. I don't know who they play next, but it'll be tough.
“Barnsley have got Walsall next - tough."
Checktrade Trophy final
Ross has consistently played down talk of who has the advantage at any particular stage of the season, preferring his side to steadily accumulate the points they need to put them in the best possible position.
And he knows there will be more twists and turns before the season comes to a climax in May.
“The nature of this league is that almost everyone is fighting for something," he added.
“I probably just always believed that we could reach a points total which will give us a good chance of success and we're still on course for that."
