Former Sunderland defender Michael Gray has insisted that the club should keep faith with head coach Dick Advocaat.
The Black Cats are without a win this season following their 4-1 defeat to Manchester City in the League Cup on Tuesday night.
Advocaat has been tipped to leave the Stadium of Light after the team's slow start, but Gray has claimed that the club's problems are not simply down to the manager.
"The performances just seem to be getting worse and worse," Gray told talkSPORT. "There are players at that football club that have been there too long. They are comfortable because they know they are going to play on a weekly basis without pressure.
"The last players to come through the ranks at Sunderland were Jordan Henderson and Jack Colback. They used to give youngsters an opportunity. Now, it is such a strange situation. You speak to some of the fans and they can't put their finger on their problems.
"I used to think it was the manager's fault but I can't put it down to Dick Advocaat because I think he is the right man. For some reason, it frightens the players to play at the Stadium of Light."
Advocaat was appointed Sunderland boss on a permanent basis in the summer after keeping them in the Premier League during an interim spell in charge last season.
