MICK McCarthy might not have much in common with the mandarins of the Football Association but, this summer, the Sunderland boss has been following the governing body's lead.

Never one to use evocative prose unnecessarily, McCarthy has been banning words. Or to be more precise, banning one word that seems to have dominated everything that has been written or said about Sunderland since the end of last season.

In an attempt to prevent the kind of foul-mouthed rantings that blight the beautiful game, a recent FA directive banned the over-use of the 'f-word' on the field of play.

McCarthy hasn't stopped his players saying that - the traditionalist in him would shudder at the thought - but he has warned them he will not tolerate the use of a far-more frowned-upon phrase.

Woe betide any Sunderland player using the 'r-word'. Relegation might be on the lips of almost every supposed expert in the country but, with the Black Cats' Premiership campaign kicking-off against Charlton today, it will not be part of the lexicon at the Stadium of Light.

Few expect that to be the case come May but, after overcoming the odds to lead Sunderland back to the top-flight last season, McCarthy is unashamedly bullish about his side's chances of staying there.

"I'm not going to give the obvious answer that everyone expects me to say," roared McCarthy, after being asked to describe his targets for the season.

"Success would be finishing in the top ten. I know what everyone wants me to say, but I'm not going to say it.

"We want to go in there and be a team that can compete in the Premier League. We want to try to be a constant at the very highest level.

"We are one of the favourites to go down - there's no point skirting round the issue. It's not my opinion but, in other people's minds, we are one of the favourites to go down.

"History, tradition and everything else suggests that the teams that go up always struggle.

"We might - but it won't be for the want of trying. If I set off doing something and I'm worried about it, I might as well not even bother. We might as well give it up for somebody else to have a go.

"That isn't the case. We want to have a go - I don't mind trying to buck the trend, that's been a bit of a theme throughout my career.

"Optimism is in my nature. If somebody tells me I can't do it, it makes me more determined to prove I can. It's the same with the players - they did it last season and they're desperate to do it again."

Promoted clubs have a poor record of surviving in the Premiership. Of the last nine clubs to enter English football's upper echelon, only four have lived to tell the tale.

Last season was supposed to be one of the high points for the Premiership's new arrivals, with all three going into the final weekend with a chance of success.

Ultimately, though, only West Brom survived and, as McCarthy quite rightly points out, such a last-gasp let-off is hardly something to aspire to at the start of a campaign.

"If we take optimism out of what happened to West Brom, Norwich and Palace last year, it suggests we're going to be struggling all season long and we're going to be like one of them," explained the Black Cats boss.

"If people want to put us up as the same as that, I haven't got a problem with it. But I'm not going to compare myself with them at this point in time.

"It might happen like that. But why should I set them as my benchmark? It might transpire that way - we might be better or worse - but I'm not going to be a party to any negativity."

In part, McCarthy's optimism stems from his frantic transfer dealings this summer.

A staggering ten players have arrived at the Stadium of Light since May's final-day win over Stoke, with most sharing more than a passing resemblance to the signings that shaped last season's Championship success.

For Jon Stead - a youngster who was struggling for a starting spot at his previous Premiership club - read Stephen Elliott. Tommy Miller, successful at a lower level, mirrors Liam Lawrence, while Martin Woods is no more of a total unknown than Dean Whitehead was at this stage last summer.

Sunderland are still paying the price for their last manager's tendency to look overseas for a quick fix to his side's problems.

McCarthy's focus is much closer to home and, after watching the likes of Andy Johnson, Tim Cahill and Dean Ashton handle the step up to the Premiership in style, the former Republic of Ireland boss is confident his cream of the Championship can enjoy similar success.

"We had some of the best Championship players last year and we're all going up together," he said.

"I've added to it. Kelvin Davis, the best Championship keeper, Tommy Miller, arguably one of the best midfield players in the league, Andy Gray, one of the best centre-forwards. Can we all go up and do it as a consistent force? We'll find out.

"I think there's got to be interest in the lower leagues - you've got to try to have a look at them. Sometimes it's a case of giving them a chance. If you never get the opportunity, you'll never find out how good you are.

"I sometimes wonder 'Is it taking a chance?' Or is everyone else just not recognising them as a big name?

"You can sign players from a supposedly big club, but how many big names have we had here that failed? I saw a few of them that weren't doing particularly well when I came.

"We won't have that. We'll have a spirit and a desire that will help us out enormously."

McCarthy's previous spell in the Premiership co-incided with one of the blackest periods in Sunderland's history.

His nine successive defeats in 2003 came at a time when the club were already well on the way to financial and footballing meltdown.

Nobody blames him for being unable to keep the Black Cats in the Premiership but, in private, he still resents the failure being tagged onto his record.

This season offers a chance of putting things right and, should Sunderland finish outside the bottom three, another 'r-word' will rear its head on Wearside.

To McCarthy, at least, the next nine months are not about relegation. Instead, they offer an opportunity for redemption.

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