Funding not a vital issue for O’Neill

Martin O’Neill insists that he accepted the job of Sunderland manager without a mention of the transfer kitty he can expect in January.

The 59-year-old saw the team he inherited from Steve Bruce slip to within a point of the Barclays Premier League drop zone with a 2-1 defeat at Wolves on Sunday.

O’Neill said: “I had discussions with the owner [Ellis Short] of the football club. It [a transfer kitty] was genuinely not discussed. At the moment, it’s not the most important issue to me.”

Asked if Sunderland are in a relegation fight, he said: “Nobody likes to hear the word – we just need to win. The sooner we do that, the better for everyone. Nerves start to get frayed – and I might be the world’s worst – but the sooner we start winning, the sooner confidence returns and the sooner people feel a wee bit better. The rest of it, hopefully, will take care of itself.”