Murray reveals Mick's improved contract

Bob Murray has revealed that Mick McCarthy has signed an improved contract to stay with SAFC - and paid tributes to McCarthy's motivational qualities.

McCarthy's squad got to the semi-final of the FA Cup as well as the promotion play-off semi final last season, only narrowly missing out on European football and a chance of Premiership football, only a year after the pain of a 19-point relegation season.

Murray revealed "Mick signed an improved rolling one-year contract in the summer - and I know he was very happy to sign it too.

"He is loving being manager of Sunderland. What you see is what you get with Mick, and I like that - he is always pushing me to help him bring people in, and I like that in him."

And the chairman paid tribute to McCarthy's abilities to retain key players such as Julio Arca and Gary Breen.

"it is a huge compliment to him that players like Poom, Myhre and particularly Julio Arca and Kevin Kyle are still here.

"They could easily be playing Premiership football but because of Mick they would rather be here at Sunderland.

"He's got the players here motivated, playing together and for each other - the team Mick McCarthy has here now is very much his team and he's making life increasingly pleasant both for myself and the supporters."

Murray also underlined that the club see Promotion as their immediate goal, and said he'll back McCarthy financially should that be achieved.

"Any talk of us being happy to spend another season in the Championship while the team matures is nonsense.

"We want to be back in the Premiership - and if we do it the vast majority of the money which comes in will be spent on the playing staff."