SOCCER:THERE WAS a growing sense of confidence on Wearside yesterday that Steve Bruce will make Republic of Ireland international Richard Dunne one of his first signings for Sunderland, with the newly-appointed boss apparently making the signing of the Dubliner a priority upon returning to work yesterday after a brief holiday.
Dunne is being chased by a number of other clubs, most notably Tottenham and Stoke City, and while Sunderland and Spurs are currently the frontrunners for his signature, their pursuit is complicated somewhat by the fact the two are attempting to do business with each other over Darren Bent.
Bruce and his opposite number at White Hart Lane, Harry Redknapp, are reported to differ in the valuations of the striker by something approaching €3.5 million and the extent to which each compromises on the sum eventually agreed is said to be a factor in how strong a position both would then be in to pursue Dunne.
City seem happy enough to sell the centre half who has been a regular winner of the club’s player of the year award in recent seasons before suffering a dip in form during the first half of the campaign just finished but Mark Hughes will want to be sure that he has his replacement lined up before completing any deal.
That could yet hold up the deal for a number of weeks although the feeling at Sunderland seems to be that the Irishman could be their player rather more quickly.
Bruce, though, has plenty of other things to occupy him over the coming days with his attempt to bring in Lee Cattermole from Wigan also high on his agenda.
Just as important for the former Manchester United defender is moving on a significant number of the players he has inherited and that looks certain to involve additional Irish casualties.
Nicky Colgan and David Connolly have already been released by the Premier League outfit after reaching the end of their contracts, while Roy O’Donovan and Anthony Stokes are amongst those whose futures at the club look particularly doubtful having both spent spells out on loan during the past year.
Daryl Murphy and Paul McShane are another two of the Irish contingent who could find themselves surplus to requirements once Bruce settles into his new role and the pair have both been linked with possible moves to Roy Keane’s new club, Ipswich Town.
A string of other Irish players have been released in recent weeks with the likes of Jonathan Douglas, Billy Clarke and Liam Miller moving on from Leeds United, Ipswich and QPR respectively.
Leeds failed to agree new terms with Douglas who they wanted to keep, while Clarke has been strongly linked with Notts County in recent days and Miller expressed confidence, while on international duty a couple of weeks back, that he will agree terms with a new club in the very near future.
Jason McAteer, meanwhile, has been appointed as assistant to new Tranmere Rovers manager John Barnes.
The former Bolton Wanderers, Liverpool and Sunderland midfielder ended his playing career with three years at Prenton Park, the last two as player-coach.
The pair were unveiled by the club yesterday and Tranmere chairman Peter Johnson was upbeat about the appointments: “With John and Jason as the club’s management team they bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and contacts within the game.
“They are a Wirral-based partnership who are very enthusiastic about what they can offer Tranmere and I look forward to watching their team play next season.
“They have both had successful careers as players and hopefully they can be successful together in management at Tranmere.”
