HAVING inherited a Sunderland squad “behind the clock”, Martin O’Neill can look forward to New Year reinforcements.
Whether any will come via the transfer market remains a mystery, with the Black Cats manager still adamant he has not thought about the January window.
But with long-term injury victims Fraizer Campbell and Craig Gordon back in training, the chances of soon having a stronger squad than the one Steve Bruce finished with are improving.
Centre-forward Campbell has not played first-team football since August 2010, when he suffered the first of two cruciate knee ligament injuries. Goalkeeper Gordon has been out since February, undergoing a summer knee operation.
“We’re organising another game for Fraizer Campbell to play in this Friday and I think he’s nearly about ready,” said O’Neill. “These games are the best we can do for him, and now there’s a stage where he just wants to get on with it but I’ve not penciled in a date for him to return.
“Craig Gordon, he’s just come in and joined in little bit. Monday was his first day doing that. It didn’t last long but he’s doing fine so we’re hoping in time he’ll come through.”
O’Neill is more concerned with adding to Sunderland’s points tally than looking even a couple of weeks ahead.
“We don’t even have a one point per game ratio in the league,” he noted. “We’re behind the clock.
“We’ll see what happens (in January), I’ve not had time to look at it but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been inundated with agents, some offering players who are not even on their books! If nothing happens I’m happy to work with the players we’ve got.”
O’Neill downplayed talk of any departures, amid rumours Craig Gardner will leave. “I know Craig from our days together at Aston Villa. He really is a great character,” he said. “He’s been a family man for a long, long time. His family are down in the Midlands.
“I think he wants to do his best to settle here and prove the move successful.
“I don’t think we’re in a position at this minute, on a more general note, to be letting people go in January, particularly given our situation at this minute.
“I just want everybody to try and knuckle down, get on with it and see where we are in the summertime.”
