Hartlepool United 0-3 Sunderland

Black Cats cruise to victory against Hartlepool as Sam Allardyce looks set to leave for England job.

Sunderland beat Pools 3-0 tonight in their first game of pre season. Jermain Defoe grabbed two goals. The first came when he beat the defender for pace and finished with ease. The second was a terrific snapshot strike into the top left corner. Moments before Defoe’s strike, Wahbi Khazri made it 2-0 when Defoe’s effort bounced back off the post.

The main talking point was Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce and his imminent departure to become England manager, which was announced an hour before kick off. Allardyce failed to come back out into the dugout for the second half, but many reports suggest he was saying his final farewells to his senior players, who had came off at half time for the youngsters.

Speculation surrounding Allardyce’s future had been circulating for weeks, much to the despair of fans on wearside.

A great first half

The Black Cats couldn’t have asked for a better start to their first pre-season game when Defoe latched onto a long through ball and finished into the bottom right corner past Hartlepool keeper, Trevor Carson.

Wahbi Khazri made it two just eight minutes later after a lovely passing exchange between him and Defoe, who dropped the shoulder and got his shot off which hit the post and was then put in by Khazri who had initially started the move.

Pools manager Craig Hignett feared the worst as it looked like it would be a long night for the League two side. It was then game over when Fabio Borini’s shot was saved by Carson, but fell into the feet of Defoe, who finessed his shot out of reach of the stopper.

Sunderland began to slow the pace down after 30 minutes, but Rodwell found space inside the opposition penalty box and fired into the bottom left, only to be denied by a brilliant save.

No sign of Allardyce after the interval

The Black Cats made 11 changes at the interval, giving the youngsters a chance to showcase their skills. Allardyce was reportedly saying his farewells to senior players and left Victoria Park before 70 minutes to be appointed as new England manager tomorrow. Sunderland fans were left confused as to why the 61-year-old wouldn’t say his farewells to fans at the end of the game and were questioning whether or not that would be the way the romance with Allardyce would die.

 Allardyce all smiles prior to this evenings friendly win against Hartlepool United.

The second half of football wasn’t filled with chances and failed to live up to the first half excitement. Fans did appreciate the chance to see the youngsters in action, despite the little amount of chances created.

The one notable good piece of football came from George Honeyman when he made light work of his man on the right hand side, played a one-two with Duncan Watmore, and dragged his shot narrowly wide of the far post.

The full time whistle was blown and Sunderland fans began to leave Victoria Park, left bewildered of the club’s situation.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED

CARSON, RICHARDS, CARROLL, FEATHERSTONE, NSIALA, BATES, LAURENT, WOODS, AMOND, ALESSANDRA, DEVEDICS

SUNDERLAND AFC

MANNONE, JONES, VAN AANHOLT, KABOUL, KONE, CATTERMOLE, LENS, RODWELL, DEFOE, KHAZRI, BORINI

2ND HALF: SUNDERLAND AFC (11 Changes)

PICKFORD, ROBSON, LEDGER, BEADLING, GOOCH, ROBSON, ROBSON, HONEYMAN, GREENWOOD, N’ZOGBIA, WATMORE

SCORE

0-1, MIN. 7, DEFOE

0-2, MIN. 15, KHAZRI

0-3, MIN. 20, DEFOE

Yann M’vila returns to France as Rubin Kazan fallout continues

Sunderland’s bid to sign Rubin Kazan midfielder Yann M’vila has taken a new twist as the Frenchman returns to his native country.

Sunderland’s attempt to secure the signature of last season’s loanee Yann Mvila has stalled over recent weeks, with his parent club Rubin Kazan demanding an extortionate fee for the player, even though he only has six months remaining on his contract.

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce has prioritised the midfielder as one of his number one summer transfer targets, but a number of obstacles have prevented M’vila from re-joining Sunderland on a permanent basis. M’vila himself has made it clear he would like to sign on a permanent basis in a recent interview. The Frenchman said: “I want Sunderland not another club but the choice is Sunderland.”

Significant role in Sunderland’s survival

The 26-year-old played a major part in the Black Cats relegation survival last campaign, playing in 37 out of the 38 games, but Kazan have made it clear he is surplus to requirements when they did not include him in the squad that flew out to Austria for a pre-season training camp.

 M’vila scored his first goal in a 2-2 draw away to Aston Villa last season. (Image Source: The Chronicle)

M’vila has been given permission to return to his homeland, but Kazan have claimed this is due to an issue with his visa. There have been reports within the French media that M’vila and his team-mate Chris Mavinga, who also spent last season out on loan, aren’t happy with being left to train alone or the training facilities at the club.

If the midfielder is to join Sunderland, he will no doubt have to take a pay cut from his current weekly wage of £100,000. The Black Cats will have to be patient with the financially secure Russian club, who will be prepared to play hard ball over the transfer fee.

M’vila himself was won over on Wearside and declared publicly that he wanted to continue his good form and stay on at the Stadium of Light.

Duncan Watmore can’t wait for Sunderland’s pre-season games to start

Black Cats forward Duncan Watmore is keen to get going with Sunderland’s pre-season matches and is set to start at Victoria Park against Hartlepool United on Wednesday.

After an intense week of training in Austria, Sunderland star Duncan Watmore is keen to get back to playing football. The 22-year-old is set to start at Victoria Park on Wednesday night, where the Black Cats will take on Hartlepool United in their first game of pre-season.

The game against Hartlepool will be seen as a small step to important preparation for the start of the new Premier League season. Sunderland are still yet to secure their first signing of the summer and with manager Sam Allardyce favourite for the England managerial vacancy, everything is slightly unsettled on Wearside.

After last season’s poor pre-season tour of America, the club will be pleased with their more organised and better prepared build up to the new campaign. The first phase was a tour of Austria, where Watmore and co spent the week regaining fitness and preparing physically. The next week will see the Black Cats play two friendlies against lower league English sides; Hartlepool and Rotherham United, followed by matches overseas, then the first game of the 2016/17 season against away to Manchester City on August 13.

Watmore, who played over sixty percent of last season’s games, said he cannot wait in a recent interview with the Chronicle: “It’s always nice to play games, you can do as much running as you want but match fitness is something completely different, but our sessions have been aimed at getting ready for that.” The England under-21 international has insisted his side will be ‘raring to go’ by the end of pre-season.

 Allardyce overseeing training in Austria (Image source: The Chronicle)

Black Cats frustration

The Sunderland team can be very much raring to go, but their managerial problem will still remain until the FA make a decision on who to appoint. Allardyce flew back early from his side’s Austrian training camp to speak to the FA, but with as many as three candidates still to interview for the England job, the Black Cats frustration will continue.

The FA had made clear after the sacking of Roy Hodgson that they would want to appoint Allardyce as the national team manager, which leaves Sunderland unable to put pressure on them. The longer the issue goes on, the more likely it is that Sunderland will be left behind by other clubs. The most annoying aspect for Sunderland fans is that Allardyce insisted his side has to start better than they have in past campaigns and now ironically, he could play a big part in the Black Cats downfall.

The importance of playing a variety of teams in pre-season

Watmore praised the club for organising pre-season friendlies with mass variety: “We’re playing different teams in different countries and the final game against Borussia Dortmund will be a great test.” He added, “But some of the lower league teams in England will also provide a test because they’re always well prepared and well up for it.”

Sunderland will look to build momentum and confidence throughout their pre-season games and Watmore will want to cement a starting place in the side.

Would Sunderland lose their defensive resilience if Sam Allardyce left?

The 61-year-old Black Cats boss has turned the Sunderland back four into a solid unit, but would that change if he left the club?

Since joining the club in October 2015, Sam Allardyce has turned Sunderland into a team that are hard to beat. The former West Ham, Blackburn and Bolton manager has a reputation for turning clubs into solid mid-table sides and many Sunderland fans were optimistic of the 61-year-old doing just that in the upcoming Premier League season.

With the season just over three weeks away, Allardyce has been heavily linked to the England manager vacancy after Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager, leaving the Black Cats in a sticky situation.

Allardyce initially made clean sheets first priority for Sunderland when he joined, and structured the partnership of Younes Kaboul and Lamine Kone in January. Both players looked solid in the heart of defence and played a key role in the survival at the end of the season.

Younes Kaboul and Lamine Kone defending at home to West Brom (Image source: Sky Sports)

The Black Cats had lost just one game in 11 at the end of the 2015/16 campaign, with the loss coming to the eventual champions, Leicester City. Rumours of Allardyce’s departure is picking up pace by the day and fans on Wearside will be desperate for their team to progress up the table and stay away from the annual relegation scrap.

But would Sunderland lose their defensive resilience if Allardyce was to leave?

It would be naive for fans not to realise the importance of a manager like Allardyce having a huge influence on the defensive ethos and the changes that he made to the defence when he was first appointed. But the two players at the heart of the defence; Kaboul and Kone, they’ve built up a real solid partnership and another manager with the same experience as Allardyce wouldn’t change that.

The front runner to replace Allardyce is currently David Moyes, who has just taken a trip to Jordan to share his experience with the Jordanian FA and their national team’s coaches. The former Everton and Manchester United boss wouldn’t necessarily be a bad appointment, with his vast Premier League experience, player contacts and his similar defensive style to Allardyce.

If Moyes was to be appointed, his style of play and his managerial ethos wouldn’t disrupt the Sunderland back four. The change would almost be like for like and the main focus would then be on transfers, with the Black Cats still yet to get a player through the door. Moyes previously managed Real Sociadad in Spain and would offer some good contacts for Sunderland to potentially make their first summer signing.

The FA will continue to interview candidates for the job and the appointment could take as long as another week. The Black Cats really do have to take matters into their own hands and take action soon before they are left behind by other Premier League clubs.

Duncan Watmore says Sunderland is the best place for him to progress

Black Cats youngster Watmore says the best place for him to progress is on Wearside after breaking through into the first team last season.

22-year-old Sunderland star Duncan Watmore insists he is at the right club to develop and become a better player. The England under 21 international made his first team debut last season and has been talked about highly among Sunderland fans.

The Black Cats star has scored four goals in 25 first team appearances for Sunderland and was rewarded a new contract last November, keeping him at the Stadium of Light until 2020.

Continuing last season’s good form

Watmore is determined to do well going into the 2016/17 Premier League season and refuses to let his form of last season slip. In an interview with the Chronicle, Watmore said: “I really enjoyed last season, especially the way we stayed up at the end, but I’m hoping to build on that this year and I won’t get carried away because I have a lot of work to do on my game.”

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce is clearly a big fan of the youngster, playing him in over 60% of last season’s games. Watmore is currently training with the first team squad in Austria, and told safc.com “Part of pre-season is working hard because the start of the campaign is important for us.” Watmore’s highlight of last season came against Norwich City when he came on as a substitute and scored the third goal in a huge 3-0 win at Carrow Road.

 Duncan Watmore in Austria, training with the Sunderland first team. (Image source: Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)

Sunderland have failed to start their previous campaigns in a positive manner and Watmore understands the importance of starting the new season well. “We haven’t been as good as we should’ve been in recent years and the manager has been very clear on that, so we know the work we have to do and the staff have put together a really good pre-season for us.”

Former Sunderland boss Len Ashurst backs Sam Allardyce for England job.

Len Ashurst says the FA would be ‘foolish’ not to appoint Sam Allardyce as England manager and that he should be allowed to manage the country in his own style.

The former Black Cats player and manager Len Ashurst, says Sam Allardyce is just what the country needs right now and that the FA should allow him to manage the team in his own style.

Although the 77-year-old knows the appointment of Allardyce wouldn’t be popular with Sunderland fans, he says England’s needs are greater than Sunderland’s right now.

Lots of speculation is currently surrounding the vacant England managers job after a diabolical Euro 2016 with Roy Hodgson in charge. Fans and pundits have pin pointed the lack of motivation and organisation throughout the team and Ashurst said in an interview with the Sunderland Echo: “I don’t think he has a weakness in his armoury as a manager and he excels in terms of motivation, organisation and attention to detail – arguably the most important areas England need to address.”

Ashurst also expressed his feelings on England’s most recent game against Iceland where they lost 2-1. He said: “I have to say I think the performance against Iceland was the worst England display I’ve seen in my whole life.”

The former Black Cats player played 458 times from 1957-1971. No outfield player has played more games than Ashurst, who then followed up with a career in management. He went on to manage the Rokermen in the 1984-85 season and claims all his experience in the game tells him Allardyce is the perfect man for the job.

Different names in the frame for the job

Another former Sunderland manager is currently in the frame, Steve Bruce – current manager of newly promoted side Hull City – has also been linked. Stoke City boss Mark Hughes has also been linked and Ashurst says both wouldn’t be bad choices, but Allardyce is ‘the obvious candidate to succeed Roy Hodgson.’

Current Hull City and former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce (Pictured) has also been linked with the England manager’s vacancy. (Image source: The Telegraph)

Allardyce was also praised by Ashurst for his ability to guide young players and insists England have a lot of young players who need ‘hammering into shape.’ Just recently the 61-year-old had flown over to Austria for an intense training camp with the first team and had included more than five under 21 players. He also gave first team debut’s to three players in Sunderland’s last game of last season against Watford.

If Allardyce is appointed as England’s new head coach, the Black Cats will need to act quickly to appoint a new manager with just four weeks until they kick off in their first Premier League game of the new season.

 

Diafra Sakho keen on Sunderland move despite other clubs’ interest

Diafra Sakho is rumoured to have a desire to re-unite with former manager Sam Allardyce at Sunderland despite interest from three Premier League clubs. West Brom, Crystal Palace and Watford are all rumoured to be interested in the Senegalese forward.

Still no summer transfers

Sakho could still yet be Sunderland’s first signing of the summer window after the £3 million transfer of Inter Milan’s Davide Santon fell through this week after the player had apparently snubbed the relegation clause in his offered contract.

Sunderland looked to sign Santon with the club only having one first team right back in Billy Jones, as Adam Matthews looks to be leaving the club. However, Sunderland have other areas in which they will want to strengthen, with the striker position being of major significance.

Number one on the transfer target shortlist is Sakho and the move looks likely after the player handed in a transfer request last week. However, his current club West Ham will only look to sell the 26-year-old once they have signed a striker themselves.

Carlos Bacca is the number one frontman on the West Ham radar, but the AC Milan striker is reportedly also linked to Atletico Madrid and is valued at £25 million.

A move to Sunderland isn’t fully guaranteed with the Black Cats bid being rejected last month, but Sakho is keen on linking back up with Allardyce again after the Sunderland manager brought him to the Premier League from French club Metz for £3.5 million in his time in charge of the Hammers.

 Sam Allardyce and Diafra Sakho working with each other at West Ham United. (Image Source: Mirror)

Sunderland may have to be prepared to break their club record transfer fee with Sakho’s price tag of £15 million. The Black cats had a bid rejected last month of around £11 million but the price tag set by West Ham shouldn’t be a problem for Sunderland with this season’s television money secured.

 

Kell Brook to fight Gennady Golovkin!

Gennady Golovkin will defend his world middleweight titles against IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook on September 10.

Brook will jump two divisions to take on the WBA Super, WBC and IBF world champion in a huge fight for world boxing at London’s 02 Arena.

Both fighters will come to blows in what could be a fight of the year contender! Triple G will go into the fight as favourite but both men are huge punchers and their records have shown that. Golovkin is unbeaten in 35 with 32 knockout and Brook unbeaten in 36 with  25 stoppages.

The question on all fight fans lips will be can Brook step up two divisions and still carry the same power to stop the man who is currently a contender for being the number one fighter on the planet?

Brooks promoter Eddie Hearn is adamant that Brook will still be a big man at Middleweight and can contend against GGG. Hearn may be confident in his man but it is a fact that ‘The special one’ will be stepping up in class after two routine wins against Frankie Gavin and a mandatory defense of his IBF Welterweight belt against Kevin Bizier.

People can argue that Golovkin also has not been fully tested with his best wins coming against Martin Murray, Willie Monroe Jr and most recently David Lemieux.

 GGG pictured. (Image Source: BleacherReport)

Eubank ducks GGG

Fight fans were of  the assumption that Chris Eubank Jr would be the man to fight Golovkin after him and his father Chris Eubank Senior have made considerable amounts of noise to fight the Khazak.

Whether talks have broken down or the offer was not right for both promotional teams, the Eubanks have some explaining to do when they face the media. Eubank may  now look to fight the man who has been the only person to defeat him, Billy Jo Saunders.

No matter what happens in the fight, big credit has to go to Brook for taking the fight as well as both promotional teams for making it happen.

Sunderland youngsters fly out to Austria with first team

Sunderland young guns have flown out to Austria for an intense training camp alongside the first team players.

Fringe players Liam Bridcutt, Will Buckley, Jordi Gomez, Adam Matthews and Charis Mavrias won’t be heading to Austria after training away from the first team squad this week. The five players have no future at the club and are surplus to requirements by Sunderland.

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce takes his players to the Alps for a nine-day behind-closed-doors training camp. The 61-year-old has touched down in Austria with just one fresh face in the group. Trialist Charles N’zogbia has joined the first team in Austria whilst on the lookout for a new club.

Apart from N’zogbia, no other fresh faces are amongst the group, however Allardyce stated in an interview with the Sunderland Echo earlier this week that he would be focusing on the top players already has at his disposal and would sign players who could make an ‘instant impact’ in due course.

Allardyce willing to give youngsters a chance

Seven youngsters have joined the first team squad in their intense training camp. Rees Greenwood, Josh Maja, Ethan Robson, Tommy Robson, George Honeyman, Tom Beadling and Josh Robson all travelled.

Allardyce has already demonstrated his desire to give youngsters a chance after Duncan Watmore and Jordan Pickford became regular first team members while Greenwood, Tommy Robson and Honeyman were all handed Premier League debuts against Watford in the final game of last season.

 Ducan Watmore (Left) and Jordan Pickford (Right) have both became regular first team members under Allardyces management.
(Image Source: Chronicle Live)

17-year-old Maja had caught Allardyce’s eye and was handed a professional contract over the summer. The striker possesses a great technical ability and is a powerful player who has previously played for Fulham, Crystal Palace and Manchester City. Sunderland fans became aware of Maja after his delightful assist in a 3-1 win against Manchester United under 18’s last October.

The team spend nine days in the Alps and then travel to Victoria Park to play Hartlepool United on July 20 for their first game of pre-season.