Former Sunderland manager echoes ‘lazy’ Newcastle United trope to excuse Premier League relegation

David Moyes has pinned Sunderland’s 2016-17 relegation of failing to attract players to the North East.

Pundits have long levelled geography as a reason behind Newcastle United not being able to sign elite stars. Former England international Gabby Agbonlahor infamously claimed he would rather sign for Brentford on £10,000 per week less than join Newcastle.

The Magpies are the Premier League’s most northern outpost - situated 250 miles from London. A train to King’s Cross station takes three hours but that has done little to repel talent previously.

Moyes, however, has highlighted the issue as a key reason behind his failure at Sunderland - 14 miles south of Newcastle - seven years ago. The Scot finished on 24 points, relegating a Black Cats side that had been in the top flight since 2007.

"In that period when I came back, I was very close to going back to Everton,” Moyes told The Rest Is Football podcast. “It didn't quite happen. I met Everton, I'd spoken with Celtic as well at the time and, when both of them went away for different reasons, Sunderland were there.

"Sunderland's a great club, a really good club but, and Alan (Shearer) will know this, I don't know if you can attract all of the players to the North East. And Newcastle now are attracting some great players up there but maybe that's because if you pay well enough you get them. 

“That's it. But Sunderland at the time, we were having to have a maybe not quite the top level player, and it took its course in the end."