Gus Poyet's appointment as Sunderland manager has been questioned by John Byrne.


  The former Albion and Sunderland striker is unsure whether Poyet is the right man to keep the rock-bottom Black Cats in the Premier League.


  Poyet, axed by the Seagulls in June for gross misconduct, is taking over at the Stadium of Light as head coach on a two-year contract following the recent sacking of Paolo Di Canio, Sunderland confirmed this morning.

 

  They also confirmed that Mauricio Taricco and Charlie Oatway, the Uruguayan's assistant and coach at The Amex, are arriving with him. 


  Byrne told The Argus: "You have got to give him credit for the job he did at Brighton. He got them out of the lower reaches of League One, built a decent side and got them playing, but this is a different ball game now.


  "He can attract decent players. He's got a name in the game. He's well respected as a player, he was a great player.


  "Whether he is a firefighter who can go in there and turn things around, that is a test for him. I don't think even he knows the answer to that one, because he has never really managed at that level yet."


  Byrne, who played for Sunderland in the 1992 FA Cup final, expected them to plump for one of former Spurs No. 2 Poyet's old Chelsea team-mates.


  He said: "When I have spoken to people up in the North-East I've said to them it does surprise me, because he didn't leave Brighton in the greatest of circumstances. There is just a question mark. After Di Canio I thought they would go for a calmer, more sensible approach.


  "Someone like (Gianfranco) Zola, who is not particularly controversial, or (Roberto) Di Matteo. Gus Poyet is still in dispute with his old club. He didn't leave on particularly good terms, but he has obviously gone in there and explained the situation to them and they have accepted it.


  "Surely Sunderland are not daft enough to give someone a job without speaking to his previous employers?"
 

The 45-year-old Uruguayan will take charge with immediate effect. His initial challenge will be to secure a first Barclays Premier League win of the season with the Black Cats currently lying at the foot of the table with just one point from their first seven games, a return which leaves them six adrift of safety. Poyet is Sunderland's sixth permanent manager in less than five years. Owner Ellis Short, who took more than a fortnight to find the right man, said: ''We analysed a wide range of candidates and believe that Gus' track record, experience, commitment and passion make him the right man to take us forward. ''We welcome him to Sunderland.'' Poyet will be required to work within the system installed by Short after Di Canio's arrival, with the Texan businessman determined to continue despite the failings of the Italian's brief and often chaotic reign. That will mean working under director of football Roberto De Fanti. Poyet will now take up the baton with the Black Cats at least having shown promising signs of gelling under interim head coach Kevin Ball in recent weeks. Poyet will have the international break during which to work with those players not representing their countries before sending a team out for the first time at Swansea a week on Saturday. Intriguingly, his second game, as was Di Canio's, will be a derby clash with Newcastle.