Gordon still not off and running

Feb 4 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

At £9m, Craig Gordon is the third most expensive goalkeeper in the history of world football – and Sunderland’s second choice. Stuart Rayner reports on the Scot’s fall from grace

THE most expensive footballer in the history of Sunderland Football Club is now a reserve.

In the summer of 2007 the Black Cats signed Craig Gordon for a fee which could rise to £9m. It made him the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of British football, and the third priciest on the planet. Yet in Ricky Sbragia’s eyes, Gordon is currently only the second best goalkeeper at the Stadium of Light.

It is a reality the 26-year-old from Edinburgh is fully aware of, having sought out the Sunderland manager to express his concerns last week.

The point will be hammered home at Ewood Park this evening. The Sunderland side which runs out in front of banks of empty blue seats will be a far from glamorous one.

Sbragia will put yet another boot into the floundering FA Cup by fielding a team of reserves against Blackburn Rovers – and Gordon will be its goalkeeper. For Scotland’s number one, the relief of finally returning from an ankle injury, which has taken far longer to heal than anyone expected, will be slightly offset by a further reminder that he has been plunged into a battle for his place.

Hungarian Márton Fülöp has worn the goalkeeper’s jersey in Gordon’s absence – a 19-match run broken only by Gordon’s ahead-of-schedule and obviously ill-advised return against Bolton Wanderers in December. In that time he has done enough to earn Sbragia’s trust.

“Márton, to be honest, has done extremely well and is keeping the other goalkeepers out,” Sbragia says. “Long may it continue. Craig knows he has a fight on his hands now. Before he probably thought he would walk back in automatically, but we need competition in every area on the field and that has probably come out of the blue with Márton coming in and doing so well.

“We just see how far down the line he probably is. It’s only Craig’s second game in 15 weeks.”

As Fülöp will gladly testify, the role of reserve goalkeeper is the hardest in the Premier League. The ex-Tottenham Hotspur player often cut a frustrated figure when he was the one sat on the sidelines, watching his international chances sink down the plughole. With only one place up for grabs, and not having the ability to slot in elsewhere like their outfield colleagues, the goalkeeping situation is very clear cut – you are either in the team or you out. Even before he has returned to action, Gordon’s frustration at being out has already started to show itself.

“I spoke to him on Friday, he came to see me,” Sbragia reveals. “He’s a bit worried about what is happening in general but I told him to carry on where you are going and we will start you on Wednesday, and hopefully get 90 minutes.”

At least an FA Cup tie offers Gordon that. If Sunderland lose, and blow the chance of a fifth round tie at home to Coventry City, it could be his last opportunity this season without Fülöp picking up an injury or losing form.

“He will play, it gives him that match experience,” Sbragia confirms. “He is fit, we have given him a lot of practice matches and game-related situations.”

The former Heart of Midlothian captain realises the pressure is well and truly on. “I’ve got to go out there and do the best I can,” reflects Gordon. “It’s a chance for me to get back in and do my job, then it’s up to the manager to decide, but I just need to do as well as I can.

“It’s always a battle for the number one shirt. You can’t expect to walk into any side, you have to be professional here. Darren Ward has returned to full training and Nick Colgan has been here all season, so there’s four or five goalkeepers competing for one shirt, and everyone is in with a shout.”

It is hard to see Gordon knocking on the door of the previous manager’s office in search of reassurances about his future. But then Sbragia’s approach to man-management is rather different to Roy Keane’s.

“You don’t need an appointment, we can speak informally,” he explains. “I try and speak informally as much as I can to them. A player might just pop in and have a quick word. I go in the dressing room to get the mood of the players, I think that’s important. I will sometimes maybe change training.

“I always wanted to be treated as I was as a player. There are a couple of managers I could spend the day with and feel really relaxed, others I didn’t communicate with at all.

“Some were relaxed about talking and whatever was said stayed in there. I want them to come in everyday to enjoy training, because you will probably get better performances on the pitch because of that.”

Gordon will be hoping the formula works tonight, or his time watching Sunderland matches from the sidelines may not yet have ended.