SUNDERLAND chief executive Martin Bain admits the club have been “paralysed” during Sam Allardyce’s lengthy courtship with the Football Association.

Allardyce conducted his first press conference as England manager yesterday, but the lengthy process that led to his appointment as Roy Hodgson’s successor has had a major negative impact on Sunderland’s preparations for next season.

Having watched Saturday’s friendly win at Rotherham United from the stands, David Moyes was in the Black Cats’ dug out yesterday as two Duncan Watmore penalties secured a 2-0 win over French side Stade Nyonnais.

However, while Moyes will have been reasonably happy with what he saw on the pitch during the first game of Sunderland’s week-long training break, the new Black Cats boss will not feel comfortable until he has been able to make some significant headway in the transfer market.

With a proposed move for Davide Santon having collapsed earlier this month, Sunderland are still to make a single addition since the end of last season.

A deal for midfielder Yann M’Vila should be completed shortly, with Moyes also targeting Manchester United duo Adnan Januzaj and Will Keane, but while Bain will be doing all he can to support his new manager, the Sunderland chief admits the last few weeks have been far from ideal.

“We have to be supporting David on the football side of the business in making sure we have everything in place for the season,” said Bain. “We have a number of things to do.

“We have been quite paralysed in the transfer market, so now we have to move forward on that front. There’ll be things David wants to do, and I’ll assist him as best as I can in trying to make things happen.”

Sunderland’s statement confirming Allardyce’s departure pointedly refused to acknowledge the new England boss’ achievements in avoiding relegation last season, but Bain was rather quicker to acknowledge the successes of the last nine months.

“Everyone wishes Sam well and thanks him for his efforts at the end of last year for keeping Sunderland in the Premier League,” he said, in an interview with Sunderland’s official website. “He deserves great credit and we wish him well.”

Last night’s starting line-up was largely comprised of players who were either not involved in Saturday’s win at the New York Stadium or who were late substitutes two days earlier.

Billy Jones and Lee Cattermole both returned from injury, with Jack Rodwell dropping back to play centre-half, and Sunderland claimed the lead from the spot seven minutes before the interval.

Having been fouled by after breaking in from the right-hand side, Watmore picked himself up to convert from 12 yards.

The England Under-21 international then added a second penalty in first-half stoppage time, holding his nerve again after George Honeyman was felled in the area.

Sunderland: Mannone, Jones, Ledger, Rodwell (J Robson 46), T Robson (van Aanholt 75), Gooch (Lens 75), E Robson, Cattermole (N’Zogbia 46), Greenwood (Borini 75), Honeyman (Khazri 75), Watmore (Asoro 57).

Subs (not used): Pickford (gk), Stryjek (gk), Kaboul, Kone.