Sunderland
The Squad
Goalkeepers
The Squad
Goalkeepers
Craig Gordan - The current Scotland number one, with 36 caps, a good reliable keeper with great reflexes and handling, i dont see any need in replacing him just yet, and hope he can back me up and make the number one jersey his own, however he is currently recovering from a damaged knee and is likely to miss the first few games of the season.
Martin Fulop - Good reliable back up, also an experienced international with 19 caps for Austria, Martin has good handling aswell as a great leap, and i feel he is solid enough to cover for Craig when needed.
Martin Fulop - Good reliable back up, also an experienced international with 19 caps for Austria, Martin has good handling aswell as a great leap, and i feel he is solid enough to cover for Craig when needed.
Full Backs
George McCartney - My only real left back at the club, George is good at both defending and going forward and will be my first choice at left back.
Phil Bardsley - Probably the best right back currently at the club however i feel he is only really good enough as a back up player, and will be looking to bring in a better option in this position.
Nyron Nosworthy - Can play either right back or centre, poses great pace but lacks a bit of technical skill will be a useful squad player.
Phil Bardsley - Probably the best right back currently at the club however i feel he is only really good enough as a back up player, and will be looking to bring in a better option in this position.
Nyron Nosworthy - Can play either right back or centre, poses great pace but lacks a bit of technical skill will be a useful squad player.
Centre Backs
Michael Turner - Signed from Hull in the summer, and a real rock who i will be building the defence around, Michael is a real force in the air and his tackling is also top draw.
Anton Ferdinand - Ferdinand is a classy defender however his career has never really taken off, i hope he can now settle here at Sunderland and fulfill his promise, can hopefully forge a good partnership with Turner.
John Mensah - Currently on loan from Lyon, John has a wealth of experience with 59 caps for Ghana, similiar player to Turner, great in the air, however not so good on the ball, will be another good option at centre back.
Paulo Da Silva - 52 caps for Paraguay, just signed and this will be his first season in european football, may take time to settle but is a real good all round defender who will also be fighting for a place at centre half.
Anton Ferdinand - Ferdinand is a classy defender however his career has never really taken off, i hope he can now settle here at Sunderland and fulfill his promise, can hopefully forge a good partnership with Turner.
John Mensah - Currently on loan from Lyon, John has a wealth of experience with 59 caps for Ghana, similiar player to Turner, great in the air, however not so good on the ball, will be another good option at centre back.
Paulo Da Silva - 52 caps for Paraguay, just signed and this will be his first season in european football, may take time to settle but is a real good all round defender who will also be fighting for a place at centre half.
Central Midfielders
Lorik Cana - Albanian just signed from Marseille and i will look to play him just infront of the defence a real terrier who will not stop running, and is not afraid to get stuck in, Lorik is a top class player and will be key this season.
Lee Cattermole - Similiar player to Cana, Lee is a tireless midfielder, and at only 21 is a great prospect, I am really looking forward to working with him and believe he has a great future in the game and at Sunderland.
Lee Cattermole - Similiar player to Cana, Lee is a tireless midfielder, and at only 21 is a great prospect, I am really looking forward to working with him and believe he has a great future in the game and at Sunderland.
Wingers
Steed Malbranque - Winger who can play anywhere in the midfield, great attacking player who loves to run at the opposition maybe lacks a bit of pace, but will be a handy player to have.
Andy Reid - Very similiar to Malbranque great on the ball and very creative, can play left wing or centre mid, but again lacks pace. Andy will be useful though.
Daryl Murphy - Can play left wing or as a striker, but has not got the class of Malbranque or Reid, can do a job as back up, but i dont expect him to play much of a part this season.
Kieran Richardson - Good tricky left winger who has good pace, will be another option and brings something different to the midfield if called upon.
Andy Reid - Very similiar to Malbranque great on the ball and very creative, can play left wing or centre mid, but again lacks pace. Andy will be useful though.
Daryl Murphy - Can play left wing or as a striker, but has not got the class of Malbranque or Reid, can do a job as back up, but i dont expect him to play much of a part this season.
Kieran Richardson - Good tricky left winger who has good pace, will be another option and brings something different to the midfield if called upon.
Strikers
Darren Bent - Probably the best striker at the club, very quick and a good finisher, you only have to look at the goals he has scored throughout his career to see he is a quality player.
Frazier Campbell - A similiar player to Bent very quick, and hopefully can go on to be a good striker, in the next few years.
Kenwyne Jones - A different option up front, very good in the air but still a good finisher can be employed as a target man, and may form a good partnership up top with Darren.
David Healy - A good finisher and proven goalscorer, however not sure if he can cut it at the top level, so still unsure as to Davids future at the club.
Frazier Campbell - A similiar player to Bent very quick, and hopefully can go on to be a good striker, in the next few years.
Kenwyne Jones - A different option up front, very good in the air but still a good finisher can be employed as a target man, and may form a good partnership up top with Darren.
David Healy - A good finisher and proven goalscorer, however not sure if he can cut it at the top level, so still unsure as to Davids future at the club.
The Plan
My plan is to turn the black cats into a force in the premier League, My first season will be one of change so a mid table finish is the target and then moving on from that next season. I have been given £12.5 million to spend and will be looking for a mix of youth and quality.
Tactics
My tactic will be to play quick attacking football, focusing on width, with two pacey wingers. I will employ a 4-1-2-2-1, a flat back four with a player sitting just in front of them, then two central midfielders, two attacking wingers and a lone striker.
Transfers
Out - In my first day in charge i released 17 players who i felt had nothing to offer the club, these where:
Michal Misiewicz
Dan Madden
Joe Conforth
Robbie Weir
David Brown
Russell Anderson
David Meyler
Connor Hourihane
Liam Noble
Adam Reed
Adam Slegg
Liam O'Mahoney
Andrew Galer
Liam Hubbuck
Trevor Carson
Michael Kay
Andrew Harrison
Dan Madden
Joe Conforth
Robbie Weir
David Brown
Russell Anderson
David Meyler
Connor Hourihane
Liam Noble
Adam Reed
Adam Slegg
Liam O'Mahoney
Andrew Galer
Liam Hubbuck
Trevor Carson
Michael Kay
Andrew Harrison
Next out was to be Roy O'Donovan the irish winger was not good enough for the first team and at 23 wasnt going to improve much, so he left for Ipswich and we recieved £700,000
In
In
Tom Huddlestone
My first signing was Tom Huddlestone, one that i am delighted with, Tom is a great prospect, he is great on the ball has a good first touch and a is superb at passing the ball and opening up the oposition, i believe he will be part of a great partnership along with Lee Cattermole in the heart of my midfield. The deal was £2.5 mill upfront with a further £2.5 mill over the next few years.
On the same day we also brought in young keeper David Jensen from Nordsjaelland for just £5,000. David is only 16 but i believe he will be a top class keeper in the future.
Angel Di Maria
My third signing was argentinian winger Angel Di Maria from Benfica. I was just as suprised as every one else when i pulled this off, Angel is just 21 and has already played for Argentina 3 times, he is very quick can take it past people and can also deliver some great balls into the box, the perfect winger really. And the best thing about this deal was the price, a real steal at just £3 million.
My fourth signing came on the same day, highly rated youngster Marco Verratti joined for £250k from Pescara. I was delighted to bring him in somehow beating of competition from Juventus and Milan. Verratti who is just 16 is an attacking midfielder and is tipped to be the next big thing coming out of Italy.
Following on from the signing of Verratti we brought in another two hot prospects, firstly striker Romelu Lukaku from Anderlecht for a total fee of £1.8 mill, just £1 would be paid upfront though with the rest in installments. Romelu was also just 16 and big things where expected of him in the future. The second was the exciting young winger Ifeanyi Akwuegbu for £325k from Yeovil. Yet again Ifeanyi was just 16 and another very promising youngster.
Chinedu Obasi
My biggest signing so far for £9 million was Chinedu Obasi. Perhaps even more of a coup for the club than Di Maria, Obasi is a deadly winger, he has lightning pace and is a real danger on the ball, he loves to take people on and never stops working. The deal was done with Hoffenheim and we will pay them most of the fee in installments.
Also coming in was 18yr old James Rodriguez. The colombian joins for £1.2 million, James is another exciting prospect, he is an attacking midfielder who i believe can break into the first team here at sunderland in the not to distant future.
Craig Gardener
Next up was Aston Villa's Craig Gardener for £4 million. Craig is a central midfielder who can also play at right back, and this is where i intend on playing him he is a good tackler with lightning pace, Craig is also very good going forward so i hope he can grow into the role at right back and make it his own.
Jonjo Shelvey
From Charlton we brought in 17 year old Jonjo Shelvey, another exciting english prospect. He is an attacking midfielder who can also play up front, big things are expected from this young man and im glad we have now have him here at Sunderland.
Next up Billy Jones joined from Preston North End, the deal was for £2.5 million, which i believe to be a real bargain, Billy can play anywhere along the back four, and also midfield. He is also just 22 years old and has a great future ahead of him.
Out - Kieran Richardson left to join Birmingham for £4 million, i think this was a good deal, we had Di Maria who would be a first choice left winger, and the backup would come from Andy Reid and James Rodriguez.
Also leaving was David Healy who joins Preston on a 5 month loan deal, i couldnt guarantee him first team football so this will be a good move for him.
