SOUNDBITE: (English) Sam Allardyce, Sunderland manager:

"I think it's a big challenge. I think that even at this early stage of the season, it's clear that we're in trouble. I think that the opportunity to have the next 30 games is probably as important as anything else to try and get us out of that trouble and I think it could take the vast majority of that, to get us safe on the basis that it takes such a long time to catch up when you have a bad start to the season. Historically you know, that when you look at everybody else who has struggled over the seasons. In particular, the club itself has had to wait at least three times to avoid relegation based on the last four or five games. My job is to hopefully not get to that stage, not to get into that panic and fear zone where there is only a few games left and if you don't win football matches you get relegated. I want to try and avoid that if I possibly can and 30 games to try and get there as quick as we can is probably one of the reasons why I took the job. It gives me a bit of time to try and get it sorted out as quickly as I possibly can."