January 2009 Archives
WHEN Roy Keane resigned as manager of Sunderland, he left a club that he himself had made fashionable once more, a club that was given great attention by the media, a club in a state of hyperactivity and restlessness. With Keane came the media circus, which was no bad thing when raising the profile of a once mighty club.
Keane had done a tremendous job at in the North East, raising the club from the doldrums of the Championship to establishing them as a Premier League side once more, attracting some high profile players in the process.
It was the year of Italia 90, Gazza's tears and the birth of the Premier League era. But in the North-East it was the year Newcastle and Sunderland clashed in arguably the most intense derby clash of the modern era.
A play-off semi final, with promotion to the old First division the prize, tempers were inevitably frayed and the tensions was unbearable. I expect this weekend's Tyne-Wear Derby at St James's Park to be just as bad.
MIDFIELD ace Kieran Richardson is ready to return for this weekend's Tyne-Wear derby.
Richardson, Sunderland's derby hero at the Stadium of Light when he scored the winner in the Black Cats' 2-1 win over Newcastle in October, has missed the last three games with an ankle problem.
Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia decided not to involve the former Manchester United man against Fulham on Tuesday night to make sure he is fresh for the derby.
SUNDERLAND have refused a police request to travel to St James's Park early on Sunday because Ricky Sbragia feels his side were beaten in the dressing room when they turned up at Newcastle two and a half hours before kick-off last season.
The Black Cats have been asked to leave Wearside at 10.45am for the 1.30pm kick off but Sbragia, aware of the unsettling effects of their preparation for last season's game, says the squad will stick to their own plans, regardless of police advice.
A lethargic Sunderland conceded an early Michael Owen goal at St James's Park last season and never managed to recover as they went down to a 2-0 defeat - a consequence of their long wait in the sweltering visitors' changing room, Sbragia believes.
RICKY Sbragia admitted that Sunderland got out of jail by taking three crucial points from Fulham after a first half display that he branded "disastrous".
Sbragia, who revealed after the game that he hopes to make his first January signing on Friday, was delighted with a result that put his side 11th in the table - but not with the performance.
Sbragia had claimed beforehand that defeat would have been a "devastating" blow in Sunderland's battle to stay in the top flight. And Kenwyne Jones, who has just signed a new contract committing him to Sunderland until 2013, swept home the game's only goal to hand the nervy Black Cats the crucial victory.
There was something rather refreshing in Kenwyne Jones signing a new four year contract at Sunderland - not least because it meant another slap in the face for Tottenham Hotspur.
Psychologically, with the Black Cats struggling at the wrong end of the table again and with Roy Keane fading into memory, the prospect of losing Jones at this stage of the season would have been unthinkable.
GEORGE McCARTNEY made his comeback from the foot problem which has disrupted his season - but admits he cannot expect to walk straight back into the Sunderland side.
The Northern Ireland international needed surgery to cure a nerve problem in the soles of both feet, and his 25-minute run-out in Sunderland's goalless FA Cup fourth round tie against Blackburn Rovers was his first action for almost three months.
PASCAL CHIMBONDA was set to make a quick return to Spurs today - but Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia has warned the Londoners they have 'no chance' of signing hitman Kenwyne Jones.
Sbragia has been infuriated by Harry Redknapp's public pursuit of Jones and, after further rumours of a cash-plus Darren Bent deal emerged at the weekend, he slammed Spurs for trying to unsettle the Trinidad and Tobago star.
PLAY it again, Sam! Sunderland and Blackburn are heading for a fifth meeting of the season after their FA Cup fourth- round tie ended in stalemate at the Stadium of Light.
Ricky Sbragia's Black Cats will have to face Sam Allardyce's Rovers in a replay at Ewood Park a week on Wednesday to decide who goes through to the last 16.
Rovers have the edge in cup competitions this season having dumped the Black Cats out of the Carling Cup back in November, but Sunderland hold the upper hand in the league having taken four points from a possible six against the Lancastrians.
MARTON FULOP believes the next fortnight could prove the turning point in Sunderland's season - and tomorrow's FA Cup clash with Blackburn is the starting point.
The Black Cats take on Rovers in the fourth round of the competition before going into a vital Premiers League triple-header against sides involved in an epic relegation battle which has drawn in all but the top six.
Sunderland face Fulham on Tuesday at the Stadium of Light before going to St James' Park for the Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle a week on Sunday - and then entertain second-bottom Stoke City on Wearside the following Saturday.
Recent Comments
"worst keeper we`ve ever had, keep fulop in goal, scottish No1 says it all !..."
"Thank you Thank you Thank you Sunderland for taking Tal Ben-Haim off our hands got to be the worst d..."
" redknapp is a Arthur Daley type spiv, he is all mouth and has been unable to get anyone of substanc..."
"Shame Blyth could not get into the 4th round would have been a great match...."
"Fergie -Beam me out of here!! ..."
"St Joseph pray for us St Stephen pray for us St Mark pray for us St Francis pray for us and oh C..."
"I would like to see Paul Jewell take the helm, just have a feeling he could turn the club round quic..."
"Yes another Toon agent. What Keane ment when he said he went as far as he could was, St James Park r..."
"YES!!!! Big Sam is the right man for SAFC, he has all the qualities and experince required, apart fr..."
"Yes the first win on home soil against the toon in 28 years was to much for them..."