Ever since Kevin Keegan's legendary "I'd love it!" rant in 1996, mind games have become all the rage in English football. But before Newcastle United's manager blew his top live on national television, psychology was almost considered a dirty word, and a distraction from the task in hand. Middlesbrough's Steve McClaren caused eyebrows to be raised in the conservative world of football when he appointed a sports psychologist - Bill Beswick - as his assistant manager in 2000. Many questioned how a "shrink" could know enough about flat back fours, midfield diamonds and split strikers to be the number two at a football club but it demonstrated the growing acknowledgement of the importance of psychology at the top of the game. Kevin Ball may have been viewed as an "old school" footballer, but that does not make him unreceptive to new methods. Unlike West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City and Portsmouth, the pressure has largely been off Sunderland this season. Without having mustered a run of results to prompt realistic survival hopes, the Black Cats will pretty soon slip out of the Premier League largely unnoticed. It could be today if West Brom beat Liverpool and Sunderland lose at Everton. Often confirmation of relegation can be a release and the next game is frequently won. The biggest danger for the Black Cats is that a long-term rot sets in but Ball's only aim is to convince his players they can win games this season. "In the present position of the club psychology comes into it," he admits. "It's very difficult for players with the fear of failure and of making a mistake. "This experience hopefully will live with the players for the rest of their careers and make them mentally stronger." When Ball was dominating Sunderland dressing rooms in the 1990s, perceived wisdom had it that you either got the best out of a footballer by wrapping an arm around them or kicking them up the backside. Appropriately, however, the caretaker manager learnt a different approach at the club's academy. "We do sessions with the academy players on psychology and mental strength," he explains. "It came about five or six months in but it's something I felt should come in within the first couple of months. "We bring someone in to sit with the players. We need the players to open out about different things because they have their own reasons why they're feeling mentally weak or strong." Ball sees the area he does best, club discipline, as important. As Sunderland captain, Ball was a stickler for club fines - already since becoming manager he has introduced a system for the media - and has encouraged the current generation down that path. "Footballers like parameters, we all do," he argues. "It's about respect to turn up on time, wear the right stuff, or not be late on the training ground. "It's important the players are responsible for the rules. They've got to have their own level of discipline. "The players here have done that and we help implement it. I don't want to take money out of people's pockets, I want the fine pot empty. "That said, the lads are top, disciplined lads. There will be a case when people do things wrong and if so, pay your fine and get on with it, don't moan about it." Player discipline has been this week's major talking point, and Ball sees it as the job of those on the field to eliminate diving. "If they feel it's right, you deal with the consequences," is his stance. "If a player dived, I would imagine his peers and the people around him would suggest whether it was the right thing or not to do. "I don't think there's any need for us (coaches) to say that to the players. "It's not always fair when you're honest but if I felt a player dived and embarrassed himself, his team-mates and the rest of the people involved in this club, I would imagine that in itself would not need a fine." Working at the Academy of Light, Ball was familiar with all Sunderland's players before taking the job but not, he says, their personalities. "I was involved at the academy on a day-to-day basis and watched them to a certain degree but I hadn't watched them in-depth in training," he says. "You can have a slight idea about how players are but it's only when you start working with them day to day you see the nitty-gritty and get to know how they go about their jobs on the pitch, what they're like off the pitch, whether they're a team player, an individual, a leader, if they're someone you can depend on. That's been enjoyable. I'm getting to know everyone now." | 
