Andy Reid says Sunderland's board has settled the players by making Ricky Sbragia permanent manager.
He said: "I think it was important to remove the uncertainty. Even when he was caretaker manager we weren't sure what was going on, but this has got rid of that and we know where we stand now.
"You need that as a player. We know what the manager expects and what he is trying to do. Now we can start to look forward. He has brought a calmness to the dressing room.
"He's a calm person and they are two very different management styles we've had so far this season. That's not me saying one is better than the other, but that's the way it is. The players have reacted well to Sbragia."