Former West Ham United midfielder Jack Collison has claimed that Sam Allardyce will keep Sunderland in the Premier League after taking charge of the club.
The ex-West Ham boss has been appointed as successor to Dick Advocaat at the Stadium of Light on a two-year deal, with the Black Cats currently 19th in the table after failing to win any of their opening eight games.
Collison, who played under Allardyce at Upton Park, believes that his former boss will revive Sunderland's fortunes.
"I think he will keep them up," the Welshman told talkSPORT. "He has got plenty of time, he has got the transfer window in January, and everybody knows what Big Sam is about.
"He is going to go in there and bring his ideas across and I'm sure he will win the dressing room over. If I was a betting man, I would put a good amount of money on Sunderland staying up now.
"It is important to have a foundation to build from and, knowing Big Sam like I do, he is very keen to get his defence functioning well and working together. That is going to be high on his priority list and if he can get his defence sorted they have got some exciting players.
"He is going to go in there and bring his ideas across and I'm sure he will win the dressing room over. If I was a betting man, I would put a good amount of money on Sunderland staying up now.
"It is important to have a foundation to build from and, knowing Big Sam like I do, he is very keen to get his defence functioning well and working together. That is going to be high on his priority list and if he can get his defence sorted they have got some exciting players."
Allardyce's first game in charge will be against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Steven Toplis
