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FIFA.com - World Football - News |
Visit FIFA.com for footballing news from across the world plus interviews and the chance to comment on the beautiful game. FIFA.com is the Official Website for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and contains an unparalleled section on football's showpiece event. |
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SUNDERLAND HAS A ROLE FOR DWIGHT |
Roy Keane will offer Dwight Yorke a new contract next week after describing the 36-year-old midfielder as one of the "best signings" of his 20 months as Sunderland manager. And with Yorke on the verge of securing his UEFA A Licence coaching qualification, Keane is expected to offer his former Manchester United team-mate a player- coach role in an attempt to persuade him to remain on Wearside for at least one more season. Yorke's current contract is due to expire at the end of next month and, with the veteran having started just 16 Premier League matches this season, there has been mounting speculation that he would return to Australia this summer. Keane accepts Yorke's playing contributions would be limited if he was to remain at the Stadium of Light for another campaign, but the Black Cats boss claims the Trinidad & Tobago international is every bit as influential off the field as on it. He might have been known as a playboy during his time at Old Trafford, but Yorke has gradually emerged as the de facto leader of the Sunderland squad. "I'll be sitting down with Dwight next week," said Keane, who will also discuss the future of Ian Harte, Andrew Cole, Stephen Wright, Stanislav Varga and Darren Ward, the five other Sunderland players who are out of contract this summer. "Dwight's been one of my best signings ever, or at least in 20 months! He's done exactly what we hoped he would. You can look at what a player does on the field, but you also have to look at what they do off it as well, and Dwight's really led the dressing room. "It's been tough in there at times this season, but Dwight's played a big role in keeping everyone together. Dean (Whitehead) has been important too, and the two of them have been great for us. "If you'd said Dwight would have helped get us promoted and keep us in the Premier League when he signed 20 months ago, we would have taken that. "He's done everything that's been asked of him, and he's not leaving yet. Who knows what will happen? We'll have a chat next week." Yorke's desire to start his coaching qualifications suggests he is already turning his thoughts to a possible career in management. Such a suggestion would have been laughable a decade or so ago, when Yorke's off-field activities tended to revolve around clubbing jaunts rather than coaching sessions, but as he has mellowed and aged, so his priorities have changed. He has spent a great deal of time with Sunderland's younger players this season, passing on some of the experience he has garnered from winning the Champions League and Premier League and representing his country in the World Cup finals, and Keane feels he will make an excellent manager if he decides to pursue that route. "I could see Dwight becoming a manager in the future," he said. "He's done his coaching and he loves his football. He certainly knows the game - we've done quizzes and he's always at the top - and I think he would have a good chance in management. "I wouldn't have thought that when I was at Manchester United - I might have thought he would have been a good manager of a bar somewhere - but I definitely think he'd have a chance now." Nyron Nosworthy agrees, claiming Yorke's ability to converse with a wide range of players makes him ideal management material despite his rabble-rousing past. "For me, Dwight definitely has what it takes to be a manager or a coach," said the defender. "His people skills are second to none, and that's a very important part of being a coach. "He's a bubbly character, and he's had a very important role to play behind the scenes. He also has lots of experience, and has been through so much during his career. He's always able to offer advice, and has helped keep the confidence up when things have gone badly." As well as meeting his out-ofcontract players next week, Keane will also reassess the future of the four other players currently on the transfer list. (May 2, 2008, Northern Echo) |
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