SAFC Rumours

www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/sunderland-set-to-discuss-deals-for-chelsea-peterborough-and-wolves-youngsters-1-9640163


Sunderland set to discuss deals for Chelsea, Peterborough and Wolves youngsters

Sunderland will decide next week whether to offer deals to a trio of triallists who featured for the club's under-23 side.

Chelsea's Ruben Sammut, Andrea Borg of Peterborough and Wolves youngster Kevin Berkoe have all featured for the Black Cats' second string in recent weeks in an attempt to earn a deal at the Stadium of Light.

Sammut has featured twice for Elliott Dickman's side, while Borg and Berkoe both featured during a narrow defeat to Aston Villa earlier this week.

And while the three players were all absent from the squad that drew with Manchester United on Friday evening, Dickman claims no concrete decision has yet been made on their future.

Indeed, discussions over potential deals are set to take place this week following a meeting of club staff.

"We need to get together as a staff, some of the staff haven't been available this week to sit and discuss them," said Dickman.

No big loss if true - Catts has done a great job this season but is well past his best and injuries starting to affect him.

Injuries have taken their toll on Lee. I didn't expect him to be as influential this season as he has, especially after his agent's comments pre-season. However he has done us proud with his determination and effort. Next season though? Especially if we manage promotion, may be one season too far for him.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/striker-linked-sunderland-turns-down-16006813



Striker linked with Sunderland turns down European move



Ayr Utd striker Lawrence Shankland (Image: Sunday Mail)


Sunderland target Lawrence Shankland has reportedly rejected a move to play in Europe.

The Black Cats were credited with an interest in the prolific Ayr United striker, who has bagged an impressive 31 goals in 33 games for the Scottish outfit so far this campaign.

Sunderland manager Jack Ross knows all about Shankland after working with him during a loan spell with St Mirren.

And, along with Swansea City, Rangers and Hull, the Wearsiders were believed to be interested in a deal last summer.

However, Ayr were determined not to sell, with the Scottish Championship outfit targeting promotion to the top flight.

Now, according to the Daily Record , the 23-year-old Shankland has rejected the chance to move to Belgian second-tier side Saint Gilloise.

It is believed the deal would have trebled his wages at Ayr, but the record report that he has more lucrative options available to him in the summer.

Whether Sunderland would follow up their interest in Shankland after paying big money for Will Grigg remains to be seen, although Ross may feel he needs to reassess his striking options should the Black Cats win promotion back to the Championship.

So now that Scotland lost 0-3 to Kazhakstan, rumours are suggesting the SFA may move for Ross.

Personally I think that might be a good thing. I'm increasingly of the opinion that he isn't a good fit at SAFC and a move to the international scene might work out for all involved.

Presumably, this is the story Hummy.

www.heraldscotland.com/sport/17523090.time-for-the-sfa-to-gamble-on-jack-ross-to-restore-scotlands-pride/



Time for the SFA to gamble on Jack Ross to restore Scotland's pride



THERE is a cruel irony that the apparent “easy start” to Scotland’s Euro 2020 qualifying campaign will likely now cost Alex McLeish his job.

After the catastrophe in Kazahkstan, McLeish needed the immediate chance to prove it was just a blip, a very, very bad night at the office. Perhaps if the fixture list had thrown up a trip away to Belgium or Russia this evening then the beleaguered boss could have found instant redemption. A battling draw in Brussels or a plucky win in Moscow would have quickly straightened this listing ship.

But, no. Instead, it is San Marino, statistically the worst-ranked team in the world, who lie in wait for Scotland. And where once it would have been seen as a great opportunity to bolster confidence by grabbing goals like looters stockpiling bread and milk after a no-deal Brexit, instead it has become the ultimate no-win scenario. A 6-0, 7-0, 10-0 victory; there is no scoreline big enough in this scenario that ought to keep the manager in a job.

Whether Thursday night’s 3-0 defeat in Kazakhstan ranks as the worst in Scotland’s history will fuel bar-room debates for some time to come. What can be said with greater conviction is that it effectively ends any prospects of Scotland gaining automatic qualification for next summer’s European Championships. Even with a play-off place already in the bag, falling once again at the first hurdle ought to have consequences.

McLeish’s appointment was hardly a populist move to start with and there won’t be too many rushing to Hampden Park in protest should Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell and president Alan McRae decide to bring his second time in charge to an abrupt end. The Scottish FA board may act with their commercial heads on; as things stand it is difficult to see the crowd for June’s home game with Cyprus even getting close to 20,000.

The hope that Nations League success was a turning point rather than an outlier sadly proved not to be the case. In mitigation, McLeish’s task in Kazakhstan was made more difficult by the number of call-offs that forced him to field an unfamiliar side. A closed roof, an artificial pitch and the six-hour time difference did not help Scotland’s cause either. What was most galling, however, was the sheer insipid nature of the display and McLeish’s inability to galvanise his players when they still had so much of the game in which to turn things around. That alone shows a change is necessary.

The timing of it carries an intrigue of its own. McRae, a genial fellow if hardly a great moderniser, has made great play about his close friendship with McLeish and will surely be reluctant to be the one that pulls the trigger. His presidency is up in the summer at which point he will be succeeded by Rod Petrie, the Hibs chairman, who may not be quite as blinded by nostalgia, even though he was on the Easter Road board when McLeish was manager there.

McRae might be happier to do the deed if it meant the return of Gordon Strachan, another old Pittodrie pal. Remarkably, Strachan was made immediate favourite with some bookmakers to replace McLeish as the dust settled on the calamity in Kazakhstan.

The failings of his successor, however, shouldn’t precipitate a misty-eyed reimagining of the Strachan era. He may not have endured anything as embarrassing as what unfolded at the Astana Arena but there were still more than a few wretched outings suffered on his watch including back-to-back 3-0 defeats against Slovakia and England, and failing to beat Slovenia with a half-time lead and a World Cup play-off place up for grabs. There shouldn’t be an unseemly rush to re-appoint Strachan, assuming he would even be remotely interested in returning in the first place.

Instead, the Scottish FA should instigate a thorough and professional recruitment search to find their man. Assuming their budget won’t stretch to an international coach with a proven record of reaching major tournaments, then the next best thing would be to go to the opposite end of the scale to find a young manager coursing with ambition and ability. And that manager ought to be Jack Ross.

It may seem a risky appointment of a man who, just two-and-a-half years ago, was still coaching Alloa Athletic in League One, but Ross’ career has enjoyed a steady upwards trajectory ever since. Saving St Mirren from relegation and then winning the Championship a season later shows his ability to bring the best out of confidence-shorn players, something that Scotland could really do with right now.

His decision not to stay with St Mirren in the Premiership but instead take a chance on a move to Sunderland underlines his ambition. The League One club may be closing in on a return to the Championship under Ross’ stewardship but he has already shown he is not someone who will hang around if a more lucrative or appealing opportunity crops up. With Scotland not playing again until June after today, Ross could even see out the season with Sunderland before moving back north.

At 42 years old, he would be considered young for international football but his coaching and man-management skills make him an ideal man for the post. He may now watch this evening’s game against San Marino with added interest. Sadly he will be among the few.

Unless the chairman is already lining people up 😉