Cats boss brings out the best in Cissé

Nov 17 2008 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

DJIBRIL Cissé paid tribute to Roy Keane’s managerial talents after scoring the goal that spared the Sunderland boss another week of uncomfortable questions.

Cissé’s 71st-minute chip capped a second-half improvement from the Black Cats at Blackburn and prompted a show of unity from the French striker. He raced towards the Sunderland manager and offered him a handshake after scoring.

After the strife that preceded the Black Cats’ first win in five games it was a hugely symbolic gesture from the forward, who is sold on the managerial talents of Keane.

He said: “He’s a great model for a manager. He does all that (cracks the whip, puts his arms round players). He played at the top level. He knows how players work and think.

“He just knows the job. He’s a big character, I’m a big character. He knows how to deal with characters and it worked well today. He got the best out of me in the second half because of what he said to me. He got me a bit annoyed and I wanted to show him that I can score goals and work hard. He found the right words at half-time. I hope he (Keane) hasn’t got to know me yet. When I signed for Sunderland, 60% was down to him, 40% was because of the project they had for Sunderland AFC. They have great ambitions and want to be one of the top six, eight, 10 teams.

“Roy Keane is important to that plan. He is someone with a lot of passion, a lot of desire to achieve great things for the club. He’s a great role model for the players. To learn and know that football is not easy. If you want to be a good footballer, you have to fight for it.” Although the victory was earned by Cissé’s fourth goal of the season, every one of the Black Cats’ players improved in the second half at Ewood Park. And Cissé highlighted collective effort as the reason for Sunderland’s win.

“We did well at the back and I think it’s important to congratulate the back four. It was a good team performance second half. It was a real team performance from the back to the front two,” he said. “I don’t think we were bad in the first half, just that one moment before half-time to concede.”

MARK DOUGLAS