Could a bucket of Play-Doh provide the answers to Sunderland's problems?

By Simon Bird

Published 13:52 01/03/10

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What have a flock of geese and a bucket load of modelling clay got to do with lifting a football team out of a slump?

You may well ask. But both have been used at Sunderland in years gone by to inspire the minds of ailing players whose talents become crippled by playing in front of 40,000 fans at the Stadium of Light.

As Steve Bruce grapples with the psychology of how to lift his Sunderland players out of a malaise that has sapped confidence during a downwards spiral of two wins in 21 games, the imaginative, yet amusing efforts of past bosses to break the depression spring to mind.

There was the team meeting under Howard Wilkinson when 22 bottom of the table Premier League stars gathered in the video room and were told: “Today lads, you will be watching the best team in the world.”

Brazil 1970, the players thought. Great, hit play. Arsenal’s Invincibles, perhaps? England's 1966 heroes?

Roll the film. A flock of geese. Perfect V-shape flying formation. Not a football in sight. The ultimate in team work.

Each goose flies slightly higher above the bird in front, reducing wind resistance. Birds take turns being the leader. And the formation means it is easy for the flock to keep track of each other.

I don’t think even Terry Venables has used that formation.

Then there was the day in the classroom when players were given a lump of clay each, and told to make a model depicting what they felt was their role in the current squad.

Inevitably there were a handful of impressive penis shapes moulded, and female genitalia. The disgruntled, out of favour stars did well, clubbing together and made a giant subs bench.

Yes, Sunderland finished the season bottom that year.

The psychologist in charge must have realised that perhaps the patients were not quite ready for his brand of mind-challenging techniques, but there is certainly a role for a psychologist at Sunderland now.

Steve Bruce is only the latest manager to grapple with the way talented individuals, who have proven their ability together as a team, suddenly fall apart and get sucked into a spiral of defeat, demoralisation and panic when presented with the tool of their trade, a football.

“No, no,” was Bruce’s response last week when I asked him if he was prepared to try any novel techniques to lift spirits and free his players minds.

Chairman Niall Quinn, who played in a Sunderland team afflicted like Bruce’s, says: “I’ve been there myself having been involved in two relegations. The psychology is fascinating. I know when people are half a yard off it they don’t mean to be. They don’t train all week to be half a yard off it when the game comes.

“When you are finished playing you look back and think 'wouldn’t it have been easy if we could have been positive all the time'? But it doesn’t work like that. We have always had desire and we have to scrap our way out of it and show heart.”

However, it is not a lack of heart or desire ruining Bruce’s side. It is ability on the ball. Or lack of it. They’ve gone from being a slick passing side in October, to one that by Bruce’s admission “lumps" the ball from defence to attack. Against his instructions, before you ask.

Bruce hints repeatedly that his side has to deal with “expectation" and big crowds. But the huge home support against Fulham were commendably patient and put no added pressure on during the game.

With a strike force of Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones, Sunderland should not be fretting about relegation. Unfortunately they have forgotten the system of play that reaped rewards early in the season.

Bruce needs to drill it back into his squad, open minds up to that long forgotten quality of being brave on the ball and having the bottle to take the odd risk by playing through midfield.

For now it is all about discovering bravery and bottle. Perhaps Bruce can take his squad bungee jumping or any activity that can scare his side witless. Or perhaps that should that read witless side.

Then people like Michael Turner, Kieran Richardson, Fraiser Campbell and Lorik Cana might realise that passing a ball on the ground, looking for the unusual angle of pass, prompting a team-mate into a dangerous area, is not actually a skill to be frightened of at all.

Failing that, Mr Bruce, there’s always the Discovery Channel and a good documentary about geese. Or down to the Early Learning Centre for some Play-Doh.

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