Steve Bruce may have to do without David James
Jul 24 2010 The Journal
STEVE Bruce has confirmed Sunderland have expressed an interest in David James – but concedes that the signing of the veteran England goalkeeper may not happen because of financial constraints.
Bruce is in a difficult situation as manager. On one hand he feels he needs an experienced replacement for Craig Gordon – who will be missing for at least another two months with a broken arm – and on the other he recognises offering a contract to a player, who will not be first choice once the Scotland international is fit, is tough for the board to swallow.
As a result, although talks are ongoing, Bruce may well have to choose between new signing Simon Mignolet and the untried Trevor Carson at the start of the Premier League season.
“It has got out that I’m looking at the situation,” said Bruce. “I’ve made a promise to Marton Fulop that he can go. We’ve brought in Simon Mignolet and Trevor Carson who are outstanding young goalkeepers.
“I’m just weighing up in my mind whether they are ready for the Premier League, although I’m sure in their minds they are. The reason we brought in Simon was to offer cover and one game or two games would be fine, but three months?
“You can understand where I’m coming from. I’m exploring it. I have to as a manager. We don’t want to have to do it (sign James), but unfortunately we might have to. It hasn’t really progressed.
“We are weighing up whether we can do it. Whether we can do it on a short-term basis when he wants at least a year, I don’t know.”
There was better news for Bruce regarding John Mensah, however, as the Ghana international did not report for training as instructed at Lyon yesterday, which may well help secure his Sunderland return.
And, after weeks of waiting, Argentinian full-back Marcos Angeleri has joined up with the Sunderland squad in Portugal after he was finally granted an Italian passport.
Angeleri has been training with the Black Cats for some time, but has been unable to formally sign because his Italian passport, to which he is entitled through his father, had not been issued.
