HUME: STICK TOGETHER

Trai Hume has called for unity going into the play-offs, saying the brutal honesty in Sunderland's dressing room will help them shake off their poor end to the season and put things right against Coventry.

HONEST CONVERSATIONS, HIGH STANDARDS

"There have been honest conversations the whole season, whenever we haven't got what we wanted. We keep our standards high. We want to win every game. When we don't, it's always honest conversations. We haven't won a lot of games in recent weeks. We have had them honest conversations. We've been harsh at times, and we have been generous at times. It's stuff that happens in the changing room, and it stays in the changing room."

OVERSEAS TRAINING

"That was good for the lads. We spent a lot of time bonding on and off the pitch. We trained very hard out there. We just have to get focused for the play-offs coming up now, they're the cup finals and that's the only thing we need to be focused on now."

COVENTRY

"Coventry are a team in good form. They beat us 3-0 at their place last time, and we didn't play very well. We were very frustrated after that. We know it will be a very tough place to go, and it will be tough for them coming here, but like I said, we have to be ready for it. Of course, you want to win, so it doesn't matter who you're playing. You have to go out there like it's a cup final."

PROMOTION ALWAYS THE AIM

"We want to get promoted; that was the main drive from the start of the season. Obviously, we were in the top two around Christmas time, and we fell out of that and ended up in the play-offs. That's been the main goal the whole season, to get promoted. We haven't lost faith in that. Obviously, we haven't been playing like we probably want to. We haven't been as good as we have been. Like I said, it's the cup finals coming up now, and we have to be ready for it."

FANS NEED TO STAY TOGETHER

"The fans pay their hard money to come and watch us play. They want to be entertained. They want us to win games. We haven't given them that in the last couple of games. You can understand the frustration, but the only thing that us as players can ask is there's obviously no doubt they're going to bring their support, but obviously back the boys coming into the play-offs. We haven't performed like we probably wanted, and got the results we wanted in recent weeks, but the only thing you can ask is 100% support. We have to be ready and hopefully the fans can back us."