There was no room for Titus Bramble or Matt Kilgallon when Sunderland announced the list of retained players today.
Other out-of-contract players released are Ryan Noble, Adam Reed and Ben Wilson. Danny Rose and Kader Mangane are not included in the retained list having completed their loan periods, though this does not mean SAFC will not seek to keep either or both. We all know what we want in Rose’s case.
Similarly, the following list of retained squad members – currently under contract or considering new ones that have been offered – does not guarantee that all will be at the club when the 2013-2014 season starts. Much water will flow – in both directions – under the Wearmouth bridge in the weeks to come.
Goalkeepers: Simon Mignolet, Keiren Westwood, Jordan Pickford, Joel Dixon
Defenders: Phil Bardsley, Carlos Cuellar, Wes Brown, John O’Shea, David Ferguson, Scott Harrison, Liam Marrs, Connor Oliver, John Egan, Louis Laing, Jordan Watson
Midfielders: Lee Cattermole, Sebastian Larsson, Craig Gardner, Jack Colback, David Vaughan, Alfred N’Diaye, Adam Johnson, James McClean, Ahmed Elmohamady, Stephane Sessegnon, Alejandro Gorrin, Billy Knott, Adam Mitchell, Craig Lynch, George Honeyman
Strikers: Steven Fletcher, Danny Graham, Connor Wickham, Mikael Mandron, Ji Dong-won, Jordan Laidler.
* Also from safc.com comes news of SAFC’s new partnership with BFS Group Ltd, the main UK operation of the Bidvest Group, based in South Africa and employing 105,000 people in four continents. The group runs the world’s biggest food service business outside North America.
As the club’s principal partner from next season, BFS Group will sponsor the players’ shirts, perimeter advertising and involvement from the players in local community events.
Gorrin is a young Spanish player from Tenerife. He looks a decent player – comfortable on the ball and moves it on quickly when he needs to. Clearly a man of discerning taste – who needs Mount Tidje when there is Humbledon Hill or the delights of Los Cristianos when he can nip down to Ryhope Beach.
Who is Alejandro Gorrin? I am clearly living in a dark place. Well information wise at least. I’ve actually been in relatively bright light for the last week and a half both literally and metaphorically. Season ended with a Florida trip, where I’ve been either sitting looking at a golf course or by the pool since the season ended. Neither of which activities have shed any light on Sunderland’s fringe players.
Have we kept Barry Wardrobe on for next season?
Next to depart?
Bardsley,Elmo, Vaughan, Graham, Ji, and Westwood (or Mingolet.)
Can’t say I have heard of any the players we have been linked with recently ( ie, Roberge, Diakte, Krasic, Carbal, Ritchie)