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Experienced Keane to use his budget wisely
ROY KEANE will learn next
week the full extent of the transfer
budget he will be handed for
a summer spending spree but,
regardless of the size, the Sunderland
manager insists there
will be no cartwheel signings'.
With his spending since securing
the Championship title 12
months ago now £44m, Keane
hopes to be able to double that as
he attempts to turn the Black
Cats into a Premier League force.
But where the Irishman has
bolstered his squad with the addition
of 15 fresh faces over the
course of the last year, he intends
to be more selective this time
around.
With expectations that Keane
will have at least a further £40m
to invest in his squad before August,
he has already drawn up a
precise list of the players he
wants and will present it to chairman
Niall Quinn when they get
together.
And while he admits he will
not be making outrageous moves
for superstars of the world game,
he did claim he will be attempting
to make signings that will
feed his own hunger for success.
"Wow factor?," asked Keane,
after being quizzed if he would be
targeting players with the ability
to bring an instant buzz to Wearside.
"The priority will be getting
players who can take us to the
next level, not with a fancy name
or someone with long hair. We
want to excite the fans, but I need
exciting. I want to be excited.
"Sunderland is an attraction,
that hasn't wavered. We have to
pay the money. A lot of the deals
were straightforward. The players
you want are the ones who
clubs don't want to leave. We had
to do that with Craig Gordon
(£9m). No sometimes means yes."
Despite recently demanding
that the club have to prove they
match his own personal ambition,
Keane suggested that
money would not be the only
issue as he looks for new recruits.
The former Manchester United
captain is satisfied rather than
delighted' after steering Sunderland
away from relegation in his
first season as a Premier League
manager. He is, though, determined
to make sure the same
struggle is not on the agenda
next season.
"It's just one year, not four or
five years. To stay in the Premier
League has been progress, but
this is my first year and I learned
a hell of a lot," he said. "I know
what's required to be a decent
Premier League team. For all our
faults, we're not far away from
being able to compete.
"I want to be happy next year.
What would be a satisfying finish
next season? That would depend
on players we bring in. Ask me
pre-season.
"As a manager I have no intention
of being in a relegation dogfight
every year. That's not why
I'm here, I appreciate I'm learning,
need to bring in quality players.
I haven't spent silly money.
What we spent last year was a lot
of money, but on a lot of players.
This summer it will be a lot of
money, but on less players.
"The players I want are a
mixed bag, but the ones we're
hoping to bring in, and hope is a
big word, are mainly based on
this island. Not many. Not as
many as ten, more than five."
Celtic's Aiden McGeady is understood
to be one of those, with
the Scottish Premier League
leaders looking to claim more
than £10m for the winger.
McGeady is viewed as the type
of player capable of helping to
turn Sunderland into a top-six
force, although, like Kevin Keegan
did earlier this week, Keane
insists that is the best the Black
Cats can aim for.
"We could do with a smaller
squad but a lot more quality,"
said Keane, who told five players
their contracts were not being renewed
this week, ahead of tomorrow's
visit of Arsenal to the
Stadium of Light.
"We won't need as many players
with good kids coming
through. I'm hoping to spend
good money but on far less players
than I have brought to the
club so far.
"I'll be a bit wiser this summer,
a lot more aware of what's needed
in the Premier League. The
gap is massive. Ourselves Derby
and Birmingham were all promoted
last summer, all decent
clubs, with decent support, and
we have all struggled.
"I haven't got a figure in my
head. They might surprise me.
"They might say £200m and I
might fall off my chair, or they
may say £200,000. We'll see."
9:12am Saturday 10th May 2008
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