Flo in shock recall as wantaway duo snubbed

The Sunderland manager revealed he would omit Phillips and Gray from his first-team plans unless they are still at the club after the Premiership transfer window closes on August 31.

But after relegating Flo to the reserves for much of the pre-season programme, McCarthy included the £6.75m misfit in his squad for today's Nationwide League opener at Nottingham Forest.

Phillips did not play in any of Sunderland's friendlies and is still waiting to leave the club, almost three months after publicly stating he wanted a transfer.

But although the 30-year-old is patently the club's most talented striker, McCarthy will keep faith with the likes of Kevin Kyle, Michael Proctor and Marcus Stewart.

He said: "Phillips and Gray won't be involved at Nottingham Forest. They've been out of the picture in terms of playing pre-season games; I've planned with the lads who I think are definitely going to be here after the deadline.

"Some of the higher-profile names that looked like they were going to leave are still here, but it's only fair to the lads who I expect to be here to involve them.

"You could say we've got one or two better players we should use, but what if they're not here?

"What if they come in tomorrow and say they're off? I don't think it's right and proper to play them.

"Whichever way I did it, you could always find a question that makes it a contentious issue; people could say, 'If they want to leave, why should you pick them?'

"I could chase my tail all day long but I made the decision that they may not be here and I'd play the players I've got.

"If someone said to me I couldn't play them, I would have the hump and there would be a falling out. But that hasn't happened.

"The first time Kevin Phillips missed a chance, or Michael Gray missed a tackle, people would say they shouldn't play because they're going and they're not bothered.

"If the deadline goes and they're still here, or if I have a problem and I need to play them, then they'll play.

"But I think for everybody's benefit - theirs, mine and the club's - it's the lads that will be around who will play on Saturday."

Flo has scored seven goals during pre-season, but he was expected to be left out in the cold along with Phillips, Gray, Emerson Thome and Julio Arca.

Instead, he could figure on the bench at the City Ground today as Sunderland begin their attempt to make a speedy return to the Premiership against a club that lost in the play-offs in May.

More than 2,500 Sunderland fans will watch their club's first Nationwide League game for more than five years this evening and McCarthy knows his team must now start to repay their loyalty to tempt back more disillusioned supporters.

He said: "They're not going to go and support anyone else because they love the club, but we've got to get them to love and like us a bit more with our performances and how we play.

"Some fans might not come back now, and we might have to win them back.

"There are fans that will be apathetic about the new season; about what has gone on, but it's up to us to try to change that.

"The football club is the centrepiece of the town in lots of places; it's reflected in people's lives and work.

"Do they fancy a pint on Saturday night if they've lost? Perhaps not.

"Do they want to go to work on Monday if they've lost and the other two teams around here - I won't say their names - have won?

"We need to win back the fans that may be thinking, 'Let's have a look before I decide what to do.' If it's not on Saturday, then it's on Wednesday and then Saturday.

"The season starts this weekend, but it doesn't finish there. If we win at Forest, it doesn't mean we'll be champions at the end of the season; if we don't win, there will still be 45 games to go, and people should recognise that."

McCarthy knows his side could hardly have chosen a more testing start to the season than a visit to Paul Hart's talented young team.

Forest threw away a place in last season's play-off final, having been two goals in front in the second half of their second leg at Sheffield United, and they are among the favourites to be promoted next spring.

McCarthy said: "Forest are well organised and play good football. They've been doing it for a while under Paul Hart.

"We're capable of that, so it should be a good, open football match. We have to stop them doing what they're good at.

"Sometimes, people might think they overplay, but they've had a good record of playing it around. Paul has got them playing some great stuff; I saw them towards the end of last season and they played very well.

"To bounce back from the depths that Forest plummeted to, and do as well as they have done, is exceptional. All the clubs that have had problems can take heart from how Forest have come back."

Thomas Sorensen yesterday became an Aston Villa player after successfully negotiating a medical.

The 27-year-old could make his debut for the club today when Villa take on Leeds in Dublin.

Claudio Reyna, who could start Wednesday's Carling Cup first round tie at Mansfield Town after coming through the recent Gold Cup unscathed, is a target for Fulham.

Cottagers' boss Chris Coleman is keen on Reyna as a replacement for Sean Davis, who handed in a transfer request on Thursday.

* Rangers manager Alex McLeish has given the strongest of hints that he hopes to be able to tempt Phillips to Ibrox.

But first they must secure a place in the Champions League group stage, by getting past Copenhagen later in the month. Only then would Rangers be in a position to finance a deal for Phillips.

Asked if the Phillips deal was moving significantly forward he replied: ''Not at the moment it is not. But I would think that the best thing we can all do - myself, the players and the coaches - is get in the Champions League proper. That would help.

''It is possible but you would have ask the chairman John McClelland on these issues.''

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