Spann’s chance to show the Cats.
By: Paul Gilder (The Journal).
Roy Keane is considering increasing Sunderland’s Carribean connections after inviting Trinidad and Tobago international Silvio Spann for a trial on Wearside, writes Paul Gilder.
The midfielder arrived in the North-East last week and, although he did not feature in Saturday’s pre-season defeat at Scun-thorpe, Spann was at Glanford Park to watch the Black Cats in action.
Keane, who used his side’s second summer fixture to run the rule over New Zealand Under-20 international defender Jack Pelter, is determined to add ‘three or four’ players to his squad prior to the club’s forthcoming Irish tour.
But, although he is casting his net far and wide, the Sunderland manager remains keen on targets closer to home and is hoping significant progress can be made this week.
With Leighton Baines understood to have expressed a reluctance to sign a contract extension at Wigan, Keane will hope that a breakthrough is imminent in a long-running saga in which three seven-figure bids have been rejected.
And, although he will not increase his £8m bid for Craig Gordon, Keane retains an interest in the Hearts goalkeeper, despite last week suggesting otherwise.
“I wouldn’t go as far as saying that the interest is over,” said the 35-year-old, who has made it clear to the SPL club that he will not match their £10m valuation, a move he hopes will persuade Hearts to lower an unrealistic asking price. “We took it as far as we could. The club (Hearts) have been made aware (of the interest). “The agent has gone through the media, but we like to keep stuff like that private.”
Keane and his squad last night travelled to Portugal for a short training camp, but the Black Cats boss will continue to pursue his leading targets in an attempt to add make further signings before this weekend’s fixture at Bohemians.
“We’re working hard to add maybe three or four players to the squad and we’re hopeful things will happen this week,” explained a manager who is expected to make a fourth attempt to prise Baines from the JJB Stadium this week. “We hope to have another few faces to add to the squad to challenge the players who are already here. I’m confident we will get those players and I’ll be delighted if we do.”
Spann will be determined to showcase his talents to the Black Cats boss having joined up with Sunderland on Dwight Yorke’s recommendation. A player who can count Perugia and Dinamo Zagreb as his former employers is keen to continue his career in England and has been given permission by W Connection, his Trinidadian club, to pursue his ambitions.
Spann has spent two weeks on trial at Sheffield United, although work permit complications have prevented him from travelling with the Blades on their pre-season trip to Ireland.
That has enabled Keane to appraise a player who has won 28 senior caps for the Soca Warriors and who shone at this summer’s Gold Cup in the United States.
The Black Cats boss was also keen to evaluate Pelter, who captained New Zealand at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Canada. The 19-year-old played the second half against Scun-thorpe at the weekend and earned the Irishman’s praise for his performance in a testing environment.
Keane could soon have a decision to make on an existing Sunderland player with Hull City boss Phil Brown keen to sign striker Stern John.
