Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia says he will be better prepared for the summer transfer window after going into January's version blind.

Sbragia had little time to track down players he wanted after he was bought in to replace Roy Keane but assures Black Cats fans it will be a different story this time.

"The last transfer window came too soon for me," he said in the Sunderland Echo.

"I'd only been in the job a few weeks and had to switch from a situation where I was the coach, looking after the first team, to a manager looking at every other aspect of the club.

"I had very little time to prepare for the January window but we didn't do too bad. We got in Calum Davenport and Tal Ben-Haim, and they were signings I was pleased with. It addressed the pressing problem we had in cover for central defence.

"Other than that though, the main work was about getting players out in order to foster a better team spirit. The next transfer window will be different though. We've got to make sure we're in a position to make the best possible changes at the club in terms of improving the side.

"The way a club progresses is by continually improving the quality of its players and I'm passionate about getting that aspect of the job spot on.

"I've been in football a long time and one thing I know is that you have to be as thorough as you possibly can be when it comes to identifying players who can improve your side.

"We've been coaching the current squad for many months now and we know where we're short. We know the sort of qualities needed to improve the team and we're getting out there trying to find them.

"At the moment our overwhelming priority is picking up points and staying in this division. But, after that, we have to look at players who can help take us on to a higher level next season."