Black Cats Dismiss O'Neill Rumours

Getty Images

Sunderland club sources have told Sky Sports that Martin O'Neill has 'unequivocally not resigned' and is not leaving the Stadium of Light.

Reports had claimed that O'Neill had offered to quit his post as Sunderland boss following Saturday's 4-2 home defeat by high-flying West Bromwich Albion.

However, the Black Cats have dismissed the speculation and have confirmed that the Northern Irishman remains in charge on Wearside.

O'Neill is approaching his first anniversary as Black Cats boss after signing a three-year contract to replace Steve Bruce at the helm last December.

He enjoyed an immediate impact in guiding Sunderland away from the relegation zone, but has seen his team win just two of their last 20 Premier League games.

The Black Cats were also knocked out of the Capital One Cup at home by local rivals Middlesbrough last month and have won just once in the league in front of their own supporters this season.

Speaking after the loss against West Brom, which saw Sunderland score twice in a game at home for the first time in the Premier League this term, O'Neill was staying upbeat.

He said: "I think there's a lot to take out of the match, a lot to take out of it.

"We have been beaten, but we look as if we can maybe get a goal again now, which is very encouraging.

"We have a big game on Tuesday night against QPR and we will try to get ourselves prepared for that."

O'Neill Maybe Sunderland Choice

Sunderland have begun making contact with candidates to replace Steve Bruce as manager, with Martin O’Neill at the very top of their list. It is believed an initial approach has been made to the Derryman who, along with Mark Hughes, are the leading contenders for the vacancy created by Bruce’s departure last night.

O’Neill has been out of football since leaving Aston Villa in acrimonious circumstances in August last year, while Hughes parted company with Fulham in June. Sources close to both men have indicated they are interested in the post and bookmakers have installed the pair at the head of the field, with both having enjoyed favouritism during the last 24 hours in a fluctuating market.

However, it is understood O’Neill enjoys the greater support with the people who matter at the Stadium of Light and is currently the preferred choice. But despite hoping to make a swift appointment, chairman Ellis Short and his predecessor Niall Quinn — who has taken on an international development role since standing down — will not back themselves into a corner.

O’Neill would certainly be a popular choice with the fans, who have repeatedly cited his boyhood fondness for the club as a major factor in attracting him to Wearside, and he has topped the betting at some point whenever a vacancy has existed in recent years.

The fact that he, like Hughes, is currently out of work means there would be no need for lengthy and potentially costly negotiations over compensation, an obstacle which tends to suggest another popular choice with supporters, Everton’s David Moyes, would be a non-starter.

The success of Sunderland’s mission to land O’Neill could depend largely on the financial package the club can put together, not only for him and his staff, but for a January reshuffle of a squad which has underachieved this season to date. Celtic boss Neil Lennon, who played under O’Neill at Parkhead and Leicester, has backed his former boss to make a return to the game.

“If he gets the job it would be brilliant to see him back in the game,” Lennon said today. “He has a penchant for lifting clubs. Sunderland is a huge club and I know that as a boy growing up it was his favourite team, so there might be an emotional tie there for him.

“But I think he is just ready to get back into the game and if he is offered the job, whether he takes it or not, I hope that if that is what he wants to do, we will see him back in the Premier League sooner rather than later.”

Whoever gets the job faces the task of turning around an expensively assembled squad which is nevertheless short on proven strikers and dispirited after a run of just two victories in 13 Premier League games his season. That has left them 16th in the table, just two points clear of the relegation zone heading into Sunday’s trip to Wolves.

Bruce’s assistant Eric Black has been placed in temporary charge of team affairs. However, the club have cancelled tomorrow’s scheduled pre-match press conference and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that an appointment could be made before the game kicks off at Molineux.

O'Shea and Brown are Black Cats

Sunderland have made it eight summer signings after completing a move for Manchester United defender John O'Shea.

O'Shea, 30, has signed a four-year deal at the Stadium of Light after the clubs agreed an undisclosed fee.

The Republic of Ireland international follows Wes Brown to the north east after the England defender completed his move earlier on Thursday.

Manager Steve Bruce said: "O'Shea's wealth of experience and versatility will be great attributes for us."

The Black Cats had a joint bid for O'Shea, Brown and midfielder Darron Gibson accepted last month, but the move for the third of the trio seems to have slowed.

Brown, 31, and O'Shea will add experience to a Sunderland defence that was badly affected by injuries last season.

I'm delighted with the players we've been able to secure ahead of the new season Steve Bruce Sunderland manager

Bruce added: "John has been a solid, consistent part of Manchester United's squad for well over a decade which goes to show the fantastic pedigree of player we have signed.

"He is a wonderful professional both on and off the field.

"I'm delighted with the players we've been able to secure ahead of the new season."

O'Shea, who has only ever played for United in his career, added: "Once I'd heard reports about the club and the people here, the ambitions and what the manager was all about, this was the only place I was going to come to."

As well as the United duo, Bruce has already completed a double raid on Birmingham by signing midfielders Craig Gardner and Sebastian Larsson, and brought in Ipswich striker Connor Wickham for an initial fee of £8.1m.

South Korea striker Ji Dong-Won and Coventry goalkeeper Kieren Westwood have also arrived, while the club have completed a permanent move for Egypt winger Ahmed Elmohamady after his loan spell last season.

Bruce and Quinn Shop at Old Trafford

Big spenders Quinn and Bruce

Steve Bruce has launched a triple raid on former club Manchester United for Darron Gibson, Wes Brown and John O’Shea to add them to the Sunder squad.

The Jordan Henderson’s £20m move to Liverpool should be finalised in the next 24 hours, and Bruce has acted quickly by making a £12m bid for the Manchester United trio as he looks to boost his wafer-thin squad.

The players have all struggled to nail down a regular starting place in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side and could be tempted by a move away from Old Trafford in their quest for first-team football.

After the departure of loan quartet Nedum Onuoha, John Mensah, Sulley Muntari and Danny Welbeck at the end of last season, Bruce has plenty of gaps to fill as he looks to build on his side’s top-half finish in the Premier League.

One position Bruce is desperate to strengthen is his defence, after injuries to Titus Bramble, Michael Turner and Mensah left the Black Cats boss severely short towards the end of last season.

O’Shea and Brown’s versatility will appeal to Bruce with both able to play across the back four, and with almost 400 top-flight appearances between them, their experience will be valuable to the Wearsiders’ relatively young squad.

After watching his side lose to Barcelona in the Champions League final last month, Red Devils’ boss Ferguson indicated he was keen to move some of his squad players on.

Brown has drifted in and out of Ferguson’s side during his time at Old Trafford, suffering several injury problems.

With the emergence of twins Fabio and Rafael, as well as Chris Smalling, the 31-year-old has found himself down the pecking order.

Republic of Ireland international Gibson had been tipped for a big future at the club. But the 23-year-old has found it difficult to break into a star-studded midfield, while O’Shea has also seen his opportunities limited.

Bruce’s interest in Brown and Gibson has been long-standing, with the former Manchester United centre-back not afraid to knock on Ferguson’s door, and the potential arrival of the trio will add to an already-strong contingent of ex-Man United players at Sunderland.

Armed with the money from Henderson’s transfer, on top of the £24m sale of Darren Bent in January, Bruce has a sizeable transfer kitty to bolster his squad.

With the sale of Henderson edging closer, Bruce will want to act quick to ease fans’ fears for next season, and the boss is understood to be close to securing deals for free agent Sebastian Larsson and Coventry City keeper Kieren Westwood.

Out-of-contract Larsson, a former Birmingham midfielder, completed his international commitments with Sweden on Tuesday and will return to England to finalise his future in the next week with the Wearsiders in pole position to land his signature.

Republic of Ireland international Westwood is closing in on a move to the Stadium of Light after the 26-year-old turned down a lucrative offer to stay at the Ricoh Arena.

Meanwhile, chairman Niall Quinn spoke yesterday over the sale of Henderson, reassuring fans that money made from the deal would be available to reinvest in the squad.

He also paid tribute to the 20-year-old, who was on Merseyside undergoing his medical yesterday.

He said: “Jordan is a credit to himself, his family and Sunderland’s Academy and everyone here wishes him to best of luck for the future.

“I am pleased we got the deal to a level that we felt was right for our club. We know the areas that need strengthening and the type of player we need in order to progress and the job of bringing those players to the club is continuing at a pace.”