I need help - Sbragia

Jan 24 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

SUNDERLAND will search for a director of football once the transfer window shuts, but they will be careful not to saddle the new man with the dreaded title.

This afternoon’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Blackburn is the least of manager Ricky Sbragia’s worries, a fact likely to be reflected in his team selection. The Scot’s main focus is Tuesday’s visit of Fulham, next Sunday’s short trip to St James’s Park, and signing at least one defender.

So busy has been the search for new talent that Sbragia missed training on Wednesday. While his predecessor, Roy Keane, was not averse to missing the odd session when needed, the absence of tracksuit manager Sbragia prompted his cry for help.

“I like to be on the training pitch,” said a man who made his name as a coach. “I think it is important that is where the manager is, even though I had a day off from that on Wednesday because it was so hectic and Thursday was the same.

“I was busy making phone calls to see how things were moving along. The caretaker job was a doddle compared to the manager’s job.

“Maybe I had been too naïve in saying we were after a defender because I ended up taking 50 calls. The problem I didn’t realise is a player seems to have one agent and probably 20 runners. How they get your phone number I will never know.”

Sbragia has been alarmed by the demands on his time, and would like someone to relieve the burden. The new man, who Sbragia will hand-pick, will probably be a director of football in practice, but not in title.

Those that bear it are treated with suspicion in English football after some ill-fated experiments. The Black Cats are likely to follow the lead of Hull City, who have Brian Horton, an experienced former manager with no ambitions to return, as assistant manager.

“I have discussed it with (chairman) Niall Quinn and we might need that sort of continental-type structure,” said Sbragia. “The coaching side we can improve within but we will consider bringing someone in above me. It wouldn’t be to become my boss, but to deal with the agents and everyday matters to let me get out on the training field. It would be someone I trust and know. It would be an assistant manager. He would deal with the ugly stuff.”

Sunderland have not replaced Roy Keane or Tony Loughlin – still officially at Sunderland but not working with the first team – beyond promoting Dwight Yorke to player-coach. Neil Bailey is filling the roles of reserve-team manager and assistant manager, while Quinn has shared many of the director of football responsibilities with Sbragia.

“We discuss the transfers and must speak three or four times a day to see how things are progressing,” the latter explained. The problem has been exacerbated by the transfer window, which shuts at 5pm on February 2. Sbragia is optimistic of having a new defender in time for Tuesday’s game against Fulham, but insists none of his targets are those named in the media this month.

“I have two people in mind,” he confirmed. “One seems very interested. At present, they are not being reported in the papers, which I am pleased about. That was one of the stipulations, that if we heard it was out, it was a no-go.

“On Thursday from 3pm until 10pm I was on the phone and a lot of it is wasted time. We try to deflect a lot of it over to Mick Brown in recruitment. He will give them a knock-back and then they come to me, then Niall.”