'Big compliment' behind opposition desire to bully Sunderland, says Michael Beale

Sunderland are getting a bit of a reputation for being soft touches this season, and Beale says only the players can change it.

Michael Beale believes it is a ‘compliment’ if teams want to bully Sunderland, but also sees it as a reputation they have to get rid of.

Huddersfield Town winger Sorba Thomas came out after the Terriers’ 1-0 win over Beale’s side on Wednesday and said that it was a deliberate plan to bully Sunderland, and few would say that it didn’t work.

Beale says those sentiments were repeated by the Huddersfield coaching staff, and while he didn’t like it, he also sees it as a positive.

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Speaking about the comments from the Huddersfield camp after the game, Beale said: "I think it's a big compliment.

“Take the bullying word, that's not a compliment, but why are they trying to do that? People get wise to you in the second season and they might sit a bit deeper or get a bit closer to you, our job then becomes a bit more difficult because you have to think ahead and problem solve.

"I always felt coming into the club the respect for our team had gone through the roof."

Sunderland have certainly struggled to deal with the physicality of the Championship at times this season, but in fairness the squad’s youth plays a big part in that.

Huddersfield won ten more duels than Sunderland at The John Smith’s Stadium and won more that double the number of tackles the Black Cats did, which really highlighted the problem.

Beale says that while they obviously don’t enjoy being seen as soft touches, only they can change it.

"It's interesting that teams don't want to play a football match against us, they want to get up and at us," Beale said.

"The comment we don't like but we'll have to take it. If that's what people feel we have to get rid of that perception.

"If teams are thinking they can run after us and press us and we're not up for the fight then we have to respond to that.

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"Their coaches mentioned that to one or two of our coaches and I'm not happy about that outlook, but our team have to take it on the chin.

"I don't think any team will stand off us and let us play lovely football. What teams are realising is if they stand off us they'll have a massive issue.

“We did really well last year, we're in a really good position and play a certain style of football, teams are going to look at ways to create problems for us. I wouldn't read too much into those comments but we have to show that's not the case."

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