Boss looking for a killer instinct

Aug 30 2008 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

ROY Keane feels he saw the emergence of a new generation of dressing room leaders as Sunderland toiled against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

After the weekend encouragement of a win at Spurs, Sunderland looked lethargic in spells as they turned in an error-strewn display against a determined Forest. But while it made for uncomfortable viewing, Keane believes there were positives.

Trying to dig out a win in awkward circumstances asked new questions of Keane’s players and he saw signs of genuine character and graft.

The Sunderland manager would not elaborate, but smart cameos from Grant Leadbitter and David Healy – along with the determination of Phil Bardsley – will have caught his eye. He is now looking for his team to replicate the determination, while improving the quality of their performance, against Mark Hughes’ Manchester City tomorrow.

Keane said: “One or two of our players stepped to the fore against Forest, especially in the last 10 or 15 minutes when we were under pressure. You need leaders and you don’t have to be captain to be the leader. One or two players left a good impression.

“I was looking at my players thinking, ‘Who actually wants to put the ball in the back of the net?’ People were making half-hearted efforts until our full-back scores then it came to David Healy and David knows where the back of the net is. That’s great for David to get off the mark so quickly.

“It’s all well and good creating these chances but you need a desire to get hurt and the killer instinct all top players have. We really should have had the game finished off earlier.

“If we get opportunities like that against Man City we’ve got to take them. We saw that last year. If you don’t take your chances, particularly in the Premiership, against top-class opposition you get punished. In a sense we got away with it against Forest.”

Sunderland have reaped instant dividends from expensively-assembled new signings, and Keane believes that scoring on their debuts will help Djibril Cisse and David Healy settle in.

Keane feels Healy’s poacher’s finish at the City Ground provided ample evidence of what he will bring to the Black Cats squad. “It’s great that they’re off the mark early. Any player wants to settle quickly at a new club, particularly strikers,” he said.

“Grant Leadbitter did particularly well and when the keeper saved his shot Dave Healy was exactly where I’d expect him to be and he finished exactly the way I believed he would. That’s what he’ll bring to the club.”