[GocartMozart]

Michael Chopra Joins Sunderland







good lad...hopefully he's worth the money, because 5 million pounds is a ton. He'll fit the system though.

[Ultimate_Red_Devil]

Originally Posted by BBC

Craig Gordon has said he will consider his Hearts future if the club receives a satisfactory offer for his services.

Sunderland had a recent £5m bid turned down for the Scotland goalkeeper, with the Tynecastle side's valuation of Gordon in the region of £10m.

"There's still a lot of time left in the transfer window so I might leave before the start of the season," Gordon told Hearts World.

"But I can't think about it much as I need to be ready for the new season."

Hearts begin their Premier League campaign on 6 August with an Edinburgh derby against Hibernian, and club captain Gordon is trying to keep his mind off the speculation surrounding him.

"It's out of my hands at the moment and we'll need to see what happens over the next few weeks," added the 23-times-capped keeper.

Fulham and Manchester United were also linked with moves for the 24-year-old earlier this year.

Gordon began his career in the Hearts youth team and is now firmly established as first choice for club and country.

And following the bid from Roy Keane's Black Cats, he admits a club of that stature would tempt him.

"That bid hasn't been accepted. If it had, I'd have to give it serious consideration.

"As yet there's not been a bid accepted from anybody, so I've got nothing to think about other than getting ready for the start of the season with Hearts and playing to the best of my ability."

Any thoughts?

[funkdoctorspock]

10 million for a keeper... for a team that just got promoted?

I've heard great things about this keeper (thanks urd), but for that price, imo that it would be better spent strengthening several positions.

Edit:

Keano speaks about not having any pressure ending into the EPL season

Keane unfazed by pressure
Roy Keane has brushed off concerns pressure could be an issue for the budding Sunderland boss in the Premier League.

The Manchester United great has less than a year of managerial experience under his belt having guided The Black Cats back into England's top flight inside 12 months.

The pressure will be on Keane to maintain Sunderland's Premier League status after the North East side claimed just three wins in 38 outings last time around.

However, the only pressure the Irishman will be feeling will be the strain and stress he puts on himself to win and make Sunderland a better team.

"Maybe I am missing something but I don't feel pressure at all," he told the Sunday Mirror. "The only pressure I felt as a player was from myself.

"I am the same as a manager. Come the first match I will put pressure on myself. But I don't feel pressure from people outside the club.

"Our whole belief is that the players go out and express themselves. Hopefully they are picking up from myself and my staff that there is no fear factor here.

"In the last five or six months of last season every game was a must-win match but there was not one day that I picked up any nervousness from the players. Never.

"It is something I learned from Brian Clough and other coaches and in my last couple of seasons as a player when I wasn't enjoying myself as much because of injuries.

"You have to enjoy what you do. There are millions of people who don't enjoy their jobs. This is possibly the calmest period of my football career."
Here

[Jorquera]

Chopra is an interesting buy. Didn't have the best of form while he was at Newcastle. He's still young so time to prove himself still.

My prediction is that he'll end up with 8-9 goals, not more. He'll get his chances to prove himself.

[GocartMozart]

i think he'll be in double digits. they have a fairly aggressive formation and are going to catch some people with their quickness. considering they have richardson as well, i think they just might surprise some premiership sides.

that said: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/c...bram=1&nbram=1

Richardson wants Europe. the interviewers reaction was funny.

[funkdoctorspock]

That is a pretty crappy injury to have. All the best and get well soon.

Sunderland midfielder Kieran Richardson will spend up to three months on the sidelines with a stress fracture of the back.


Richardson, who moved to the Stadium of Light from Manchester United in the summer, missed the Premier League clash at Old Trafford 10 days ago after complaining of the injury.

Tests have now revealed that the problem is worse than initially thought and he will be forced to sit out for the next few months.

Sunderland manager Roy Keane told the club's website: "We've had bad news on Kieran.

"He saw a specialist this week and he has a stress fracture of his back.

"We'll have more news after he sees a surgeon. I would have thought that he'll be out for two to three months.

"It's a major disappointment. Kieran was able to do elements of training but it affected him when he twisted or hit the ball hard."
Click

[randy420]

too bad that waste of space could never get injured and miss 1/3 of the season while he was with us

[GocartMozart]

he's too crucial to keano's plans. he will be missed massively and here's to hoping he recovers from the injury. it is quite a bizarre one isn't it. i personally have never heard of a footballer having this type of injury.


i wonder how he hurt his back? you know how they do in tyneside

[funkdoctorspock]

Thought I would inject some life back into this thread.

Seems Keano is on a United signing push.

First he gets Jonny Evans from United on loan for the rest of the season.

Now he's interested in signing ex United player Quinton Fortune.

Sunderland consider Fortune deal

Fortune's time at Bolton was blighted by injury problems

Sunderland have revealed that former Manchester United player Quinton Fortune is having a trial at the club.

The 30-year-old South African, who was released by Bolton in the summer, has been training with them for a month.

"He's building up his fitness after an operation, but there'll be more news on that over the weekend," manager Roy Keane told the club website.

If he does sign he will become their second signing of the transfer window after Jonny Evans joined on loan.

Speaking after Evans' arrival from Manchester United, Keane said there would be more new arrivals on their way.

"I'm certainly not getting into a panic situation, far from it," he told the club website.

"We've been working on these deals over the last month or so."
Click

[funkdoctorspock]

This thread has been quite a bit out of date so a quick recap:

- Black Cats survive the EPL season in 15th
- Board promises Keane additional funds to strengthen side
- Keane begins cutting those that are not helping the progress of the side
- Keane brings in Chimbonda, Taino and Malbranque.

Sunderland loses there first game 1-0 to Liverpool. They played extremely well, but they lacked a forward who could finish and strength in central defense.

So what is Keano doing about this?

1. Puts in a bid, which has been accepted for Anton Ferdinand. Sunderland is still awaiting a decision from him.
2. Agrees a season loan deal for Cisse. This is really big. He is way better than any forward they currently have and when Jones gets back into the lineup, they will have a very strong 1-2 strike partnership.

West Ham accept Ferdinand bid

West Ham United yesterday confirmed they have accepted an £8m bid from Sunderland for Anton Ferdinand but Roy Keane knows that persuading the central defender to move to Wearside may prove difficult.

Earlier this summer Newcastle were told West Ham would sell them the 23-year-old, who has declined an offer to extend his current contract at Upton Park. However, that green light was swiftly followed by an emphatic refusal on the part of Ferdinand to even consider relocating to Tyneside.

At that time, though, Aston Villa remained interested in him and, with Martin O'Neill having since looked elsewhere, Ferdinand's options are narrowing and he could be effectively forced to listen to what Keane has to say.

Sunderland's manager - who is able to offer transfer targets extremely lucrative salaries - has turned his attentions to Ferdinand after Sir Alex Ferguson's refusal to sell or loan him Jonny Evans from Manchester United and Younes Kaboul's decision to leave Tottenham Hotspur for Portsmouth rather than Wearside.

Keane also remains in the hunt for a left-back and a centre-forward. On Friday, he had a £9m bid for the striker Benni McCarthy turned down by Blackburn Rovers but may return with an improved offer.

...

Source