Mike Dodds refused to accept the absences of Jack Clarke and Dan Ballard as ‘excuses’ for the home defeat to Swansea.
Sunderland were absolutely dismal in the opening 45 minutes against Swansea, going in at half-time 2-0 down and lucky to restrict the scoring to that.
They were without the injured Jack Clarke, who is the club’s top scorer this season, and the suspended Dan Ballard, who is the best defender at the club.
However, Dodds was not even willing to entertain a suggestion that them being unavailable could explain the performance, which eventually ended in a 2-1 defeat.
“Any team in this league would miss Jack Clarke and Dan Ballard, but I won’t make excuses,” Dodds said.
“We’ve got to take that first 45 on the chin, me, the staff and the players.
“I wouldn’t have sent the players out if I wasn’t confident the message was really clear, so that’s something as a collective that we all have to take on the chin.
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