Sunderland boss Howard Wilkinson is not surprised to see that a player he still hails as "One of the best signings I ever made" has turned Saints into a team pushing for a place in Europe.

Relegation-haunted Sunderland's visit to St Mary's today provides an intriguing master-versus-mentor encounter as Wilkinson comes up against Saints boss Gordon Strachan.

During their time at Leeds in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Wilkinson was the tactical mastermind of the Whites' dual-championship success, with Strachan the driving force on the field following his bargain £300,000 move from Manchester United.

Together Leeds won the old Division 2 title in 1990 and then the Division 1 crown two years later when Strachan also claimed the Footballer-of-the-Year award for his inspirational leadership.

Wilkinson knew then, with the way Strachan cajoled and chided teammates, he had the ability to become a top-class manager.

He said: "Gordon was always one of those players I thought would go into coaching and management, without a doubt.

"He had a tremendous, consuming passion and enthusiasm for the game. He also liked responsibility and wasn't afraid of it and those are the two best reasons as to why he became a manager.

"As a player he could have played for anybody. There was a period when he could have played for any team in the world, certainly any team in Europe.

"That sort of ability and confidence - or what he rediscovered when he joined Leeds because he wasn't enjoying the best of times with Manchester United when he came to us - which he had as a player, is infectious.

"He is certainly one of the best signings I ever made as a manager, for all the reasons I have just described, but we would still have won the league without him.

"Obviously, he was undoubtedly a major influence, but not the only one and he would be the first to say that, which was another of his qualities.

"So it doesn't surprise me he has turned Southampton around."

Saints were struggling badly when Strachan was appointed 14 months ago, but their progress and rise up the table since then has been one of the success stories of the year.

Wilkinson can sense an air of confidence about Strachan and he added: "When he went there he had a rocky start, but he has gradually turned it round.

"They have started this season as they finished last season and they now have a very good squad of players.

"I can tell when I see him and them on television - but more when I see him with his body language and the things he is saying - they are comfortable with where they are now.

"He looks like someone who thinks his charges are going to come up with more right answers than wrong ones. He is not as twitchy.

"While they are enjoying being where they are, they think they should be there and they have that assurance about them."

Wilkinson is hoping it is the same kind of belief which he has sensed in his side in the last three matches, despite Thursday's 2-1 Stadium of Light defeat to Leeds.

Sunderland had enough chances to have won the game twice over and Wilkinson said: "In the last three games we've shown the consistent level of performance I've been after."