Destined to be middle man
By Stuart Rayner (The Journal)
Dwight Yorke's transformation from prolific striker to deep-lying midfielder has surprised many observers of English football but not his former manager John Gregory.
According to the 52-year-old former Wycombe Wanderers and Derby County boss, it is a position Yorke always wanted to play as a youngster.
Gregory first came into contact with Yorke 13 years ago when the Trinidadian was starting to forge a career with Aston Villa, where he was on the coaching staff. The former England midfielder saw him develop to such an extent that Gregory sold Yorke to Manchester United for just under £13m in 1998.
But, even though he was by then playing as an out-and-out centre-forward, Gregory has not been surprised to see him re-emerge as a deep-lying playmaker at Sunderland.
"Dwight could always play there," recalled Gregory, who was reacquainted with his former charge when his current side, Queens Park Rangers, lost 2-1 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
"When I first went to Villa in '94 as a coach under Brian Little, Dwight was a right-sided midfielder, but he always wanted to play in the middle and be involved with everything.
"Eventually he just moved up front." Yorke's big-money move to Old Trafford was both the making and the breaking of him as a professional footballer. In his first season with the Red Devils, Yorke's 29 goals inspired them to the treble but thereafter his career took a downward path as off-the-field distractions took their toll.
Forced out by the arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2001, Yorke had unimpressive spells at Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City before going into semi-retirement with Australian League side Sydney FC. Gregory was pleased to see his August move to Wearside revitalise the 35-year-old.
"He's a gifted footballer and I'm glad to see Roy's got his appetite back, because he had that nomadic period when he couldn't seem to settle anywhere," he said. "He went to Blackburn, Birmingham - disaster - then to Australia.
"Roy knew all about him, and he's been a big player for Sunderland this year. There's still some legs in him in this division."
Keane, who has entered into "initial talks" over a new contract at the Stadium of Light, has dismissed as "insulting" the suggestion he is using his first managerial job as an apprenticeship before succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
As arguably United's most influential captain ever, Keane has long been seen as a Red Devils boss-in-waiting, a train of thought his instant success on Wearside has only encouraged.
The Irishman has won the last two Championship manager of the month awards after taking the Black Cats to the top of the division.
The 35-year-old dismisses such talk. "It is wrong to suggest I see Sunderland as some sort of stepping stone to anywhere else," he countered. "I don't think you can think that way. That would be an insult.
"I have a three-year contact. As long as I keep being allowed to get along with the job I've been brought here to do, there won't be any problems.
"I could see myself being here for a year, I could see 10 years.
"I don't sit home at night thinking one day I want to manage Manchester United.
"It's a big challenge here at Sunderland. We've a Championship team and nearly 40,000 at matches. What an insult that would be."
Meanwhile, academy youngsters Jamie Chandler and David Dowson have been handed professional contracts for next season, but goalkeeper Chris Backhouse, defender Richard Smith and midfielder Lee Chapman are to be released.
Martin Hunter, David Brown, Dan Madden, Joe Cornforth, Conor Hourihane, Liam Noble, Adam Reid, Gavin Scott, Liam Hubbock and Andrew Galer have all joined the academy for next season.
