Martin O'Neill's people skills have forged a new Sunderland spirit | Louise Taylor

Northern Ireland led to the exile of the fleet of the consistency of cold and subjected to selection

few days to reach Sunderland Martin O'Neill left his new audience a little disappointed. To finance a tracksuit untucking a sock before drawing a new director Shin revealed that his right calf was awarded the insignia of Wearside club after all.

The idea that the successor to Steve Bruce, wearing a tattoo had gained considerable acceptance among the happy childhood as a fan of Sunderland was finally fulfill what he describes as his destiny , but their absence is a disappointment only otherwise vibrant opening months in the northeast.

After debunking the myth of the body-art, O'Neill joked that an aversion to needles was the only reason I had resisted falling into the background and ankle above . Fortunately, this concern does not apply to a resuscitation that has been breathing new life into a team that only won one of their last eight games in Bruce.

In marked contrast, O'Neill seven games in charge have produced five wins, one draw and one defeat. On the way, the 59-year-old accomplished the feat difficult to show a decidedly human touch, maintaining an air of mystery invaluable. "Martin O'Neill has something special," said a Sunderland player before the trip on Saturday against Chelsea. "Nobody really knows what it is, but he did."

Capacity

Northern Ireland in the distance at the right time to keep people guessing is fermented by excellent communication and motivation. While Bruce systematically ignored players not participating in the first team, O'Neill believes in treating everyone equally. As a result, the former Leicester, Celtic and Aston Villa manager made a point of organizing a series of private meetings, individual, with special attention to business, apparently stuck in the reserves or recovering from injury.

With Bruce 30 transfers in two years and a half years and a staggering 79 players - more than any other club in the Premier League - Sunderland were recorded since August 2007, the Stadium of Light is become a bastion of instability turbulent. Mission O'Neill was to create a renewed sense of inclusion, belonging and shared purpose.

James McClean, the exciting young left Derry City purchased by Bruce and apparently forgotten until O'Neill quickly pushed into the first team, described the change. "Everybody got the new leader of the whole club," the signature of £ 350,000, he said. "He gave a new lease of life. It is an extraordinary man. "

not underestimate the impact of literally put his arm around a person's ear and whispers, O'Neill is also able to keep players, not to mention club staff their toes. Anytime you can ask a question for reflection, likes to challenge orthodoxy and received wisdom.

's all part of the collective mentality of Sunderland retune. A key element of which is intended to persuade the team to look at his training camp as a well-equipped workplace rather than a children's toy emporium filled with Playstations, comfortable chairs and plasma screens. The message is that the players are there to make living rooms instead of their cars valeted or playing computer games.

Roy Keane, Bruce's predecessor, said that the priorities had become a little confused when, leading a group of researchers from around the complex became a superior room and change, his voice heavy sarcasm, said: "Attention now, guys, do not bump into the container of hair gel."

as Keane, O'Neill was ordered not to pick up unnecessary bookings for dissent while playing Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest. He seems to have adopted a similar "message on the referees to his new charges were significantly more disciplined, reducing the number of defects and accumulate less yellow cards.

Suddenly, Lee Cattermole, the captain sometimes less angelic, like both the coveted midfielder from Liverpool rather than a passive probable reserves. "The foreman took all the players on one side, put his arm around each of us and made us feel good about our new," said Cattermole, who high resistance to repeated invitations from Nigel de Jong for an altercation when Manchester City lost on Wearside. "He is very intelligent and has a huge passion."

Roberto Mancini Manchester City team went down on one side against Sunderland now spend less time in your power as gave the ball to the opposition for a period a little more before hitting again half-time.

• Despite the rapid pace of the last team Villa lack this kind of tactics - often with the participation, the fight against Stéphane Sessegnon McClean equipped with alacrity - are much more than a gasket O 'management Neill and something that he and his assistant Steve Walford, continuing education.

Whereas the rights and Keane as manager Bruce delegate, new manager of Sunderland has been in practice locations technical work with the players almost daily. O'Neill in his last club was often quite impractical, but this time his old friend John Robertson is not part of the model.

The director seems to be enjoying a new incarnation of mud on the boots and the deployment of two midfielders, Craig Gardner and Jack Colback at fullback in response to an injury crisis has was a success. Following think laterally, which is considering planting a screen of fast-growing trees to protect the exposed sites of the Club practices winds disturbing the North Sea. "The training sessions were shorter and sharper, with more rhythm," midfielder David Vaughan said. "Everyone has the guy knows his football. It is accessible, which is the same with everyone and anyone who wants to play. "

intense, serious, bespectacled, very eloquent and, in turn, a variety, also self-disapproval, capricious and medical O'Neill is far from the more traditional, sometimes slightly laddish, British director. No wonder he is not particularly sociable.
too extravagant to match the camaraderie enjoyed by many colleagues cliquey, there is content as a loner. "I am not a small clique," the former law student said. "There are one or two frames that I consider friends, but does not cover the majority."

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