CHRIS COLEMAN admits it is difficult to plan for next season while there is so much “uncertainty” hanging around the Stadium of Light, as he tries to keep his players focused on an unlikely escape from relegation.

The Black Cats manager – despite wanting to stay on to lead a revival - even went on to hint he can’t think about his own position until there have been detailed discussions about how to move forward.

Sunderland will head to Leeds United on Saturday knowing a further two defeats at Elland Road and then against Norwich City on Tuesday could see them relegated to League One if other results go against them.

That would be hard for Coleman and everyone else connected with the club to take, and the most worrying thing of all is that there does not seem to be any signs of progress off the pitch either.

Ellis Short has tried unsuccessfully for more than a year to sell, so he is no longer willing to invest in the squad. That concerns Coleman regardless of what division Sunderland find themselves in come August.

Coleman said: “It’s not about what division we are in, it’s about who owns the club or what the plan is. I wanted to manage Sunderland Football Club in this league or whatever league. It will be who is the owner? What are the plans? Am I in the plans or someone else’s plan?

“There’s nothing more than I would like than to rebuild the team. That is not my decision that will be above me. As tough as it is, it’s still Sunderland Football Club to me.

“If that happens, we have the same owner? Ellis is the owner and doesn’t want to put more money in? Then there is a conversation to be had, can we still make an impact?

“It is hard to talk about Ellis because I have never spoken to him. If he can’t sell and we drop then I still want to manage Sunderland Football Club, I want to put something together.

“It will not be easy but it’s doable. It’s hard to answer the question because I don’t know if it is Ellis or someone else.

“It’s the uncertainty and the not knowing … we have six or seven players on loan who won’t be here, we have five out of contract and we haven’t started negotiations with those.

“We have a relegation dogfight on our hands, we are representing a big football club going the wrong way, so there is a lot happening. Until we know for sure, whether we are building from here with this amount of money or there with that (raising hands up and down), then it’s that kind of uncertainty that’s hanging around."

The Northern Echo:

HELPING HAND: John O'Shea helps one of the young players with his boot laces. Pictures: Ian Horrocks, Sunderland AFC

Coleman was speaking at the Academy of Light having taken his first team players inside the indoor barn to take on the new intake of Under-9s to have joined the club’s ranks.

It was a nice gesture in testing times, and one that has become an annual event. It is a sign that, despite all of the troubles at the club, the staff are still keen to play a part in the community, like they did a couple of weeks earlier when they visited Caterpillar, Peterlee.

The Northern Echo:

AERIAL: Jake Clarke-Salter lifts an Under-9 player in the air to head the ball at the Academy of Light. Pictures: Ian Horrocks, Sunderland AFC

Coleman said: “It’s something that has been done every year, spend time with the young players, they are a breath of fresh air the youngsters, they have complete honesty, all the hope they have of a career in football.

“It was great to spend time with them. It was a huge blow on Tuesday with the Birmingham win, it is tough at the moment for everyone, but we have to keep going.

“We don’t have any choice. The games are less, the points are getting more, it’s heading in wrong direction for us, it is slim but while there is a chance you have to keep going for everyone.”

Coleman hinted defender Lamine Kone should be fit to face Leeds.