Cissé makes mark in quest to seal permanent transfer
Aug 25 2008 by Mark Douglas, The Journal
AFTER returning to the Premier League with a point to prove, Sunderland’s goalscoring hero Djibril Cissé has spelled out his intention to make his stay at the Stadium of Light a permanent one.
Cissé made an immediate impact for the Black Cats with his winning goal at White Hart Lane, coming off the bench to earn Sunderland’s first win of the season by meeting Daryl Murphy’s pinpoint cross with a bullet header.
He was acclaimed by the Black Cats sizeable travelling following in North London and after declaring himself impressed by the potential and scale of the club, he now wants to make his season-long loan deal a permanent one.
“I feel like I have a point to prove because I think I can do really well in the Premier League and I want to show people I’m a good player and I can score goals in this division,” he said. “The way I play my game, I think I’m made for England. That’s why I really wanted to come back.
“I had a few different offers from the Premier League but I chose Sunderland because of the manager and because the club have big ambitions and infrastructure. I think it’s a good club.
“It is a loan move but my intention is to make it permanent. I want to do my best and to make it permanent.”
Cissé is reunited with former Liverpool team-mate El-Hadji Diouf on Wearside – and he has clearly been won over by both words and deeds of his fellow striker. “El-Hadji called me, he had a few words with me and said the ambition at the club is good. So I said good,” he said.
“It’s a good, lively forward line with me and El-Hadji. And don’t forget about Jones as well and plenty of other players who are quality.
“Nobody expects Sunderland to be a good team but I know the boys now and we want to show people that we are a good club and that we can go and do well. We can surprise a lot of teams, like we did against Tottenham.”
For Cissé, Sunderland fully deserved their win against Juande Ramos’ under-performing Spurs.
“It was a surprise for me to score on my debut and I was very happy for the guys, for the manager and for the people who support me,” he said.
“But I think we deserved the win. We played well, we always tried to play football and fought against Tottenham, who are a good team.’’
