July 2008 Archives

EL-HADJI DIOUF believes Sunderland should set their sights high this season - and aim for Europe.

The Black Cats' new boy could make his debut, along with fellow new arrival Pascal Chimbonda, in tonight's friendly against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

When the real action gets under way next month, however, the Senegal international reckons there is no reason why Sunderland should not follow the lead of his former club Bolton, who qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history after finishing sixth in the Premiership in 2005.

Roy Keane isn't exactly short of a few bob, but Sunderland's manager still turned into debt collector at the team's hotel in Portugal today after hustling some of his players out of their hard earned wedge.

Having sat on the sidelines as his players sweated in the sunshine during their morning training session on Tuesday, Keane challenged his players to a little bet.

Score past him with a shot from the edge of the area and he would pay them, miss the target, or he saved, they lose and cough up to him over lunch.

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Sunderland will have to wait another three weeks to find out just how long Kenwyne Jones will be out of action with his knee injury.

The Trinidad & Tobago striker suffered ligament damage playing for his country in a friendly against England at the start of June and will miss the start of the new season.

Roy Keane said today that Jones is due to see a specialist in three weeks' time after which the Black Cats will know more about the extent of his knee injury - and Keane is praying that the striker does not need major surgery.

Roy Keane faced the media for the first time this season this afternoon and gave an update on Sunderland's progress in the transfer market.

In a nutshell, Keane is hoping to make his first signing of the summer in the next 48 hours and aims have half-a-dozen new players at the club by this time next week - but Romanian defender Dorin Goian will not be one of them.

Sunderland have been linked with Goian for over a week now but they have been unable to agree a fee with Goian's club Steaua Bucharest and Keane says that deal is now dead in the water.

'Good things come to those who wait', as the saying goes.

And that's what Sunderland fans will be pinning their hopes on as they await Roy Keane's first proper summer signing.

More than 30 names have been linked with a move to Wearside this summer but so far the only new arrival has been teenage Aussie striker Matt Fletcher, who will join the academy ranks rather than the first-team.

That lack of activity - or so it must seem from the outside - makes for worrying times when other clubs are signing players and strengthening squads.

Sunderland fans have had a long wait - 52 days to be precise - for concrete transfer news since the curtain fell on last season.

But at last there is something more than Wearside rumour, speculation and gossip to report!

And, as ever with Sunderland, it is a case of feast or famine. Fans have waited all summer for something to happen and then two stories emerge on the same day.

Defender Greg Halford has joined Championship side Sheffield United on a season-long loan, confirming what everyone already knew - namely that he plays no part in Roy Keane's future plans.

But one player who DOES have a future with the Black Cats is veteran midfielder Dwight Yorke, who has signed a 12-month contract extension.