MARTIN O’NEILL has dismissed any suggestion he does not have the fight to guide Sunderland out of the relegation zone, insisting there is still plenty of fire in his belly.
O’Neill is involved in his first relegation scrap at any level since becoming a manager at non-League Grantham Town in 1987.
It is uncharted territory for the Ulsterman, who has enjoyed almost three decades of success in a management career that has also taken him to Wycombe, Leicester, Celtic and Aston Villa.
But he now finds his team deep in the mire following a run of seven games without a win, and with Manchester United the next visitors to the Stadium of Light tomorrow.
The 61-year-old has been criticised in recent weeks by Sunderland fans, who have suggested his famed leadership powers may be dwindling.
But yesterday O’Neill dismissed any notion that he is on the wane having met supporters at a fans’ forum on Wednesday night.
“Am I still as determined and enthused about the game? I don’t think I analyse this every day but you have to have enthusiasm for the game otherwise don’t do it,” he said.
“If you ask Sir Alex Ferguson what keeps him going at the age he is – obviously going in to work with a brilliant team does help – but it is that incredible enthusiasm he has .
“You can talk about determination and everything else, but they are secondary to enthusiasm.
“I am what I am. If you are expecting me to step into a press conference after performing in the manner we did against Norwich two weeks ago and be jocular, then you would tell me I needed my head examined.
“As a player, I always concerned myself with losing matches, same as a manager. I don’t know who is saying I am downbeat. That’s their opinion but I heard some people saying our performance against Norwich wasn’t a Martin O’Neill team.
Remaining upbeat is part of my nature.
Sunderland supporters are certainly not seeing the funny side at the moment as their team spiral towards the drop zone having won just three points from a possible 21, leaving them just four ahead of third-from-bottom Wigan.
With skipper Lee Cattermole and top-scorer Steven Fletcher sidelined for the rest of the season, these are testing times for O’Neill, who has never been involved in such a desperate struggle before.
“No, I can’t remember one, certainly not in recent times,” he said.
“Last season, I came here with more games to play with, as the team had only played 14 matches and had dropped into the bottom three.
“You always felt you could get something going and we could pull out of trouble – and we did.
“There are tough games ahead but exciting ones to be involved in and we’ve got to get on with it.
“The injuries to Fletcher and Cattermole are a blow to us but that’s the nature of the game. I didn’t expect to get through all of the international matches unscathed but it is now about opportunities for other people.
Without a home league win over Manchester United since 1997 and shorn of their two best players, this is probably not the ideal time to be playing the champions-in-waiting.
Sunderland need O’Neill’s infectious enthusiasm and managerial pedigree to guide the club to safety now more than ever, otherwise their six-year stay in the top flight could come to an abrupt end on May 19 at White Hart Lane.