December 2008 Archives
MICHAEL CHOPRA returns to Wearside tomorrow at the end of his loan spell with Cardiff - but the Sunderland striker admits he wants to stay in Wales.
Chopra's two-month loan at his former club expires tomorrow, and new Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia wants him back in the fold to boost his attacking options.
Ex-Newcastle hitman Chopra, who cost Sunderland £5m when he joined from Cardiff the summer before last, would rather stay at Ninian Park and help the Bluebirds' promotion bid.
SUNDERLAND'S attacking resources have been boosted by the return of Michael Chopra and Anthony Stokes, but one of Ricky Sbragia's first tasks as manager will be deciding whether to keep the duo or put them towards the cost of the new defender he wants. The pair are due in training this morning after ending their loans with Cardiff City and Sheffield United respectively, but Chopra is angling for a swift return.
And Preston North End manager Alan Irvine has already made his pitch to buy another on-loan player, Ross Wallace, when the Scot's season-long loan is reviewed in the new year.
FORMER Sunderland star Jason McAteer has backed the Black Cats' decision to appoint Ricky Sbragia as permanent manager.
Sbragia's successful stint as caretaker has earned him an 18-month contract -- and old boy McAteer says chairman Niall Quinn was right to ignore the calls for a "big-name" appointment.
"Ricky has done brilliantly," said McAteer, who spent three years at Sunderland while Sbragia was in charge of the reserves. "I don't think a high-profile name was needed. It required someone to bring a bit of stability to the club."
The brevity of Sbragia's contract has sparked speculation that the Black Cats may be looking to land a top foreign coach after the 2010 World Cup.
But McAteer added: "People need to believe in him and give him a go. He has all the credentials to become a top manager."
SUNDERLAND are facing a battle to keep hold of marquee summer signing El-Hadji Diouf after Sam Allardyce identified him as one of his priority transfer targets during the January transfer window.
Diouf's name was near the top of the list presented to Blackburn chairman John Williams by Allardyce upon taking the job and with the midfielder unhappy that he has struggled to get into the Sunderland team since signing in the summer, Rovers believe he can be persuaded to leave.
IT is the job description which strikes fear into the hearts of every English fan, but a director of football could be the answer to Sunderland's managerial problems.
Ricky Sbragia is making a pig's ear of not getting the full-time job as Black Cats boss. The caretaker followed up his first game in temporary charge - an impressive but unrewarded performance at Manchester United - with resounding wins over West Bromwich Albion and Hull City.
THE first team may have hit a goal glut - but Sunderland's second string showed they can find the back of the net just as well last night.
And Daryl Murphy sent the biggest possible sign to stand-in boss Ricky Sbragia that he is ready for first-team action with four goals in Sunderland's 8-0 victory over Carlisle reserves.
DJIBRIL Cissé has reaffirmed his commitment to Sunderland in the wake of Roy Keane's departure, dismissing the suggestion that the former manager's resignation has dented his desire to sign permanently for the Black Cats in the summer.
Cissé has played a key part in the revival of Sunderland under caretaker manager Ricky Sbragia, repaying some of the sizeable loan fee that was paid to bring him back to the Premier League by scoring twice in two big wins to take the team away from relegation zone.
KENWYNE JONES believes caretaker-boss Ricky Sbragia has provided the missing ingredient that has made Sunderland click.
The Black Cats' 4-1 win at Hull on Saturday came on the back of a 4-0 home win over West Brom, lifting the club out of the relegation zone and up into midtable.
SUNDERLAND fan Phil Brown has endorsed rival Ricky Sbragia's claims to become the next manager of the Black Cats.
The Hull boss is himself one of the leading contenders for the post but saw his Tigers side beaten 4-1 at home by caretaker-manager Sbragia's resurgent side yesterday.
RICKY SBRAGIA upstaged Hull boss Phil Brown as two of the leading contenders for the vacant top job at Sunderland went head-to-head.
Caretaker boss Sbragia strengthened his claims as he led Sunderland to a 4-1 win at Hull, while opposite number Phil Brown -- who last week admitted he was flattered to be linked with the post -- fluffed his audition.
Strikes from man-of-the-match Steed Malbranque, Kieran Richardson, Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse gave Sunderland victory against the Tigers, who finished with 10 men after having Sam Ricketts sent off for a second bookable offence nine minutes from time.
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