Sunderland face an anxious wait to see if they can prise defender Richard Dunne away from Manchester City.
New boss Steve Bruce has been heavily linked with a £5million move for the 29-year-old Republic of Ireland international since his unveiling as Ricky Sbragia's replacement, despite heading straight off to resume his interrupted holiday.
Dunne has emerged as a target amid speculation big-spending City are eyeing Everton's Joleon Lescott and Arsenal's Kolo Toure this summer, but the Black Cats still do not know whether City manager Mark Hughes will be prepared to let the Dubliner leave Eastlands even if he does land his defensive targets.
And even if he is allowed to go, Sunderland are certain to face competition for a player who starred in his country's 1-1 draw in Bulgaria at the start of this month as they edged closer to next summer's World Cup finals.
In the circumstances, they are adopting a measured approach to their summer recruitment programme, which has already seen them touted as potential purchasers for a series of players in a variety of positions.
The acquisition of an experienced central defender to partner £8million signing Anton Ferdinand is a priority, with the former West Ham man having been made to pay for a series of lapses in concentration during his first season on Wearside.
Danny Collins did himself no harm once again last season whether asked to play in the middle or at left-back, although Bruce inherited a squad with little cover, with Nyron Nosworthy having missed the end of the campaign through injury and Paul McShane struggling to re-establish himself after returning from a loan spell at Hull.
Bruce has already been tipped to make a swift return to former club Wigan in an attempt to land Titus Bramble, a man who was pilloried during his time with arch-rivals Newcastle, while another Magpies old boy, Sylvain Distin, has also been mentioned in dispatches.
In addition, Frenchman Sebastien Bassong, who for the moment at least remains on the books at St James' Park, has indicated his representatives are in talks with two English clubs over a possible move, although both Arsenal and Tottenham have also been credited with having an interest in him.
He is one of the men prospective Newcastle boss Alan Shearer had hoped to keep, although the ongoing uncertainty over both his future and the club's ownership are not helping.
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Bruce is another Keegan. Gets a club so far, panics, blames everyone else and then runs off.
These ex-united lot are not guaranteed to be good managers -- Hughes, Bruce, Coppell, Robson, Ince.
Not that they are bad, just that they are living off their reputations and willingness to take Man United rejects.
if sunderland get dunne i can see them doing well next season under bruce
think he folded under the pressure at being at the worlds richest club
city should move richards back to right back and buy toure and lescott for the centre back, still not sure about bridge for left back but he may prove his worth this season
cameron you know the score mate,throw a sprat to catch a mackeral ha ha
Ha, ha Jack are you too close to the painter mate . . . the fumes must be affecting your brain!
I have to quote you here:
'Dunne would be a valuable cog in the well oiled machine that is SAFC'
The well-oiled machine Jack!
Deary me Jack come on, there's loyalty and then there's plain delusion . . 'well-oiled machine', ha, ha, ha!
Oh and newcastleian1, Jack's alright . . good crack (for a mackem!).
jack torrance.....so your a pit yacker!!no offence bonny lad,my mam was from stanley,got to go on the drink now pal,i have this nightmare were duff scores an own goal and the toon are relegated!!!!will wake up soon???????????
calm down dear it's just a discussion, ask Cameron W and Tony K once you get to know me I'm not so bad,but you said a town in Durham,not County Durham, I've lived there for 40 years mate,think I might just have the edge on local knowledge
jack torrance(mr no towns in durham!!)yeah some idiots smashed the bigg market(1999)after the cup final,yes their was some mags on the pitch,just to chase the inbreeds and teach you a lesson!!
"pitch invaders" not so long ago your boys rioted in the Bigg Market and smashed the place up after a bad result,was it that time St Shearer bottled the penalty and skied it over the bar ? memory fails me.I was at the game last season seem to remember just as many Mags on the pitch as chosen ones,but might be wrong.
jack torrance mr geography himself!!no towns in durham dooohhhhhhh(brain dead)!! whats up with barnsleys ground???no chavs(pitch invaders)their son,wooden stands? are you not thinking of a ground in the vaux,double maxim,queerside league???
like your style mate "got a bit bored with the premiership" that's truely priceless,looking forward to going to Barnsley's shed eh. . .brilliant,shame about it bankrupting the club though,but it'll be worth it to see a few new faces and some homemade wooden stands that leak when it's raining I guess
like your style mate "got a bit bored with the premiership" that's truely priceless,looking forward to going to Barnsley's shed eh. . .brilliant,shame about it bankrupting the club though,but it'll be worth it to see a few new faces and some homemade wooden stands that leak when it's raining I guess
like your style mate "got a bit bored with the premiership" that's truely priceless,looking forward to going to Barnsley's shed eh. . .brilliant,shame about it bankrupting the club though,but it'll be worth it to see a few new faces and some homemade wooden stands that leak when it's raining I guess
jack torrance....got a bit bored with the prem league(16 years)dont know how many seasons you have competed in it?(not as many as us!! i do know that)looking forward to visiting new grounds,not the soulles prem grounds,especially the meccano stadium of s...e,which you never seem to fill?? sotherefore would rather be watching championship football with 5o.000 geordies than watching prem football with 40.ooo(if your lucky)muppets.....sorry mackems!!
jack torrance....got a bit bored with the prem league(16 years)dont know how many seasons you have competed in it?(not as many as us!! i do know that)looking forward to visiting new grounds,not the soulles prem grounds,especially the meccano stadium of s...e,which you never seem to fill?? sotherefore would rather be watching championship football with 5o.000 geordies than watching prem football with 40.ooo(if your lucky)muppets.....sorry mackems!!
p.s enjoy your game with Scunthorpe . . could be a toughy
newcastleian1 tell it to someone who cares,the "younger brother" is now the only NE team in the premiership,we don't give a flying wa nk wether you respect us or not.Newcastle unfortunatley for you are now the laughing stock of English football,seems to me we've got less of a credibility problem than you lot eh?
well oiled machine??getting a bit ahead of yourself son!!like when keane signed,we will do this that,blah,blah,blah!!we have always looked at the mackems like an irritating little brother who keeps pecking your head, and now like the spoilt little brat who has grassed you up for something,we have never respected you on or off the pitch and never will.
Dunne would be a valuable cog in the well oiled machine that is SAFC
why is the scum badge still at the top of page dont u know they are in the fizzy pop
lge playing at sid james park
mick the mackem
Dunne only looked bad becausehe was always out of position covering for Richards who thinks he is as good as his dad tells him.
Please don't go......City's lose - Sunderlands gain.
All the best for 09-10 Sunderland
CTID
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