THE Grim Reaper got a first whiff of the impending doom and disaster augured for Sunderland after their abject surrender against Charlton Athletic in this season's curtain-raiser.

Ever since, the prophet of death has stood menacingly by the Stadium of Light sidelines, presiding over the Black Cats' ill-fated fortunes while he waited for the right moment to bring his scythe down on the club's faltering Premiership campaign.

If the Wearsiders lose at Everton today and West Brom beat Liverpool at the Hawthorns - in this afternoon's late kick-off - the death knell will be sounded and, the club will be finally jettisoned back into the Championship.

But even if the Black Cats manage to secure an unlikely victory at Goodison Park this afternoon and the Baggies lose at home to the Merseysiders, fans know the club is only delaying the inevitable.

A bullish Kevin Ball refuses to acknowledge the club's imminent sense of foreboding - a third Premiership relegation in nine years - prior to his team's trip to the north-west, although he did admit sensing it.

"I'm aware of the situation but I'm not thinking about it," confessed Ball, looking to engineer the club's first top-flight win in ten games.

"My first thoughts are for the 90 minutes in that game. If we do things right it's not going to happen.

"Some might say it's staving off the inevitable, but we've got a game to win on Saturday and that's as far as I'm thinking.

"We just have to fight against the drop for as long as we can. I'm aware of the situation and our status as everybody would expect, but I've always said take each game at a time.

"We've got to go out there and have a right go and make sure Everton know they've been in a game. Everton will expect that from us as well.

"We can't take more than one game at a time."

It won't be the first time Ball has had the bitter taste of relegation. He swigged from the poisoned chalice during his long playing career with both Sunderland (twice) and Portsmouth (once).

"I've experienced it three times in my career and they're low points," admitted the former Black Cats skipper.

"You're fortunate if you're a player to experience a lot of highs and when you experience relegation it makes you more humble at winning a Championship, you appreciate those more.

"I'm fortunate that in my case it makes you a lot stronger. It should make football players in general feel that way. You don't want it to happen again.

"People say it (relegation) was always going to happen before I took over. I would imagine having experienced the last three it will make me mentally stronger, give me a better understanding of this job and where the club needs to be going."

With this in mind, the 41-year-old stand-in chief has an eye on next season.

Ball confesses he is a big advocate of innovation in football and intends to introduce them at the club, should he be given the job on a full-time basis.

Although Ball admits there is still a place for a kick up the backside or the arm around the shoulder paradigm, he believes the introduction of science and psychology is the only way forward in the modern game.

The decision to employ the motivational techniques of fitness guru Steve Black lays testament to that.

"It's very difficult for players with the fear of failure and of making a mistake," admitted Ball. "I would imagine if you were at the top end, you'd have to be very mentally strong to go on and win things.

"This (relegation) experience hopefully will live with the players for the rest of their careers and make them mentally stronger.

"We do sessions with the academy players on psychology and mental strength. It does play a big part in football and it has had a positive effect already within the academy for some of the players.

"We bring someone in to sit in with the players. We need the players to open out about different things because they have their own reasons to why they're feeling mentally weak or strong, we're all different characters or personalities.

"Sometimes you have to be more in-depth, sometimes the player just needs a little cuddle and a talking to, but another time a player might need a kick up the backside, it depends on the type of player you've got."

Although Ball was put in temporary charge of the Black Cats until the end of the season he still insists he wanted the job on a full-time basis at the end of the season.

He said: "In some ways you can say I'm on trial. I've stepped into the job and I'm enjoying it. At the end of the season it'll determine whether I want to do it but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. It was always going to be difficult and I was aware of that.

"I'd be a fool not to throw my hat into the ring. I'm already grey and my hair's already falling out, so it's not like I've got that to worry about.

"That side of thing comes with the territory but it's something I've enjoyed so far and what will be will be. I'd be happy to go back to the academy as well, but this is something I've wanted to do."

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