I READ Gus Poyet’s post match comments after Sunderland’s most recent defeat with mixed emotions ranging from resignation, through sheer frustration to absolute anger.

Like many supporters of Sunderland FC I was greatly impressed by the apparent improvement being made by the team and the club under the Poyet’s stewardship.

He steadied the ship, made progress in league and cup competitions, reached the League Cup final, where they more than matched big spenders Manchester City for much of the game.

He achieved this improvement by careful use of the limited pool of players available to him, calm, reasoned press interviews and TV appearances.

He made immediate and successful links with the supporters so that even after the cup final defeat the feeling around the club was extremely positive.

But then he radically changed the team for the match against Hull City, playing players who most fans knew didn’t posses the necessary drive, ability or both to achieve the desired result.

Since then he has chopped and changed the team, the system and his approach to management.

Individuals have been dropped, re-instated and dropped without any real explanation. He has recently attempted to play a right back (Phil Bardsley) as a right winger when there is a current, and hugely experienced, international right winger (Seb Larsson) either sitting on the bench or left out altogether.

Hull have ensured another season in the top flight and Sunderland have imploded.

Poyet wasn’t aiming hidden, but barbed, comments towards previous managers, chairmen and players in January when things were going well.

If he had not changed a team and a formula that was obviously working for that match against Hull in early February Sunderland supporters would have been looking forward to another season in the Premier League.

I am in absolutely no doubt about that.

Alan Jackson, Tudhoe.

SUNDERLAND football manager Gus Poyet seems to have taken over The Northern Echo, with a daily image expressing a different emotion each day.

When will it end?

Eric Gendle, Middlesbrough.