THE regeneration of Sunderland is not a quick fix, manager Martin O’Neill insisted last night.

The Black Cats manager is a year into his managerial career on Wearside, an era which began with Sunderland in the relegation zone, while they dropped back into it on Saturday after a home defeat to Chelsea.

But O’Neill feels that his work at Sunderland should not be judged after just one year, insisting that the fans supported him – and more importantly, Sunderland owner Ellis Short.

O’Neill will lead his side out against Reading tonight with little worries about his future at the Stadium of Light.

“Supporters make up their own minds about things, but I’m not sure they went the ‘other way’ on Saturday,” said O’Neill.

“I felt they stuck with the team. Believe it or not, my view is that despite the frustration of what you might call false dawns, I think the supporters have a better understanding of the game than you credit them for.

“I genuinely do not worry about my future. There are other things in this life that you can worry a wee bit more about.

“Do I still enjoy the job? Yes.

I do enjoy the job.

“There is a big challenge here right now. Personally, I would like to think that the owner sees what we are up against, what we are trying to do and what we think we can achieve.

“In my conversations with [Ellis] he has always been very supportive and positive.

Like anything else, we would all want to win a couple more games, which we are capable.”

Reading visit Wearside for the second time this season – the first attempt falling victim to a waterlogged pitch at the Stadium of Light. And although O’Neill knows that pressure is building outside the club, he is confident that his side will start firing sooner rather than later.

He said: “I will try to put it in a nutshell. It’s a struggle.

We are in a really difficult position.

We need to pull ourselves out if it, which we can do, and there is some time to go.

“This game is very important and I would like to think that given time here that I could do what I set out to in the first place.

“You have to win some football games. I have said that before.

I came in last season and we won some games, some of which we probably didn’t have any right to, and some things may level themselves out.

“I use to hate manager talk about a project; a big project that will take five years. That used to make me laugh.

“I don’t want that. You would get bored to death if we were sitting in the same position for the next four or five years.

“Just give me some time. I have signed two players for money. I think Adam Johnson will start to produce the type of form he is capable of.

“We missed Steven Fletcher, even if we created more in the second-half at Norwich when he was off, compared to the two-and-a-half matches beforehand. He has done really well. Carlos Cuellar and Louis Saha came in on a free, while young Danny Rose has been exceptional.

“So wait until we get a few people in and I will try to pull this whole thing together. I don’t want four years. I would want to do it in doubly quick time, but not as quick as this.”

O’Neill is likely to be without Fletcher once again for tonight’s game.

The Scotland international missed Saturday with an ankle problem and, although he is making progress, the game is expected to come too soon.

Defender John O’Shea managed to play the full 90 minutes at the weekend on his return from a calf problem and did not suffer a reaction, but skipper Lee Cattermole (knee ligaments) is out for up to two months.