Roker Roundup: Promising Romanian youngster rejects Sunderland transfer, according to report

McGeouch on Sunderland career so far

Dylan McGeouch had arguably his best showing in a Sunderland shirt against Luton Town at the weekend, after a season where he has been in and out of the side the midfielder is hoping his injury problems are behind him.

The free transfer signing from Hibernian says he has been working with specialist in injury to help him overcome his muscle problems and now wants to overcome the competition for places in midfield at Sunderland by playing well:

At Hibs, I had a few wee niggles, and they put me out for a couple of weeks here and there. Last year was the most consistent that I have played, which was a good season for me.

At the start of this season I picked up a wee niggle which wasn’t great, but I think now I have got a run of games together.

I’ve just been unlucky sometimes, I was working with a guy in London and he helped me a lot, a lot of soft tissue work, so that’s been good.

The things I’ve had this year are just injuries that every player gets. It’s just about timing and being unlucky, but I’ve been available for selection for most of the games this season. It’s not really anything I worry about, it’s just part of football.

You need to be playing week in week out. They’ve got a lot of players to choose from, good quality players. There’s a lot of competition for central midfield, so I need to be playing well and playing regularly.

The midfielder goes on to say that having fellow Scots like Jack Ross, James Fowler, John Potter and Craig Samson around has helped him settle into the club:

Jack has been good, obviously I know him from Scotland, and I know he’s got a great reputation.

I was excited to come down and once I came down to meet him it ticked all the boxes. It’s a massive club, with a good manager, and I was excited to work with him. It was a big part of coming here.

Knowing people from up the road, having a bit of banter, and just hearing the Scottish accent about the place.

They are good people, they’re good with everyone. They have helped me settle very well. There’s a great balance with the backroom staff and it’s a great place to be working.

Alex McLeish handed the player his Scotland debut in the summer but McGeouch is focused on his Sunderland form and hopes playing well for the club will see him back in contention with his country:

It was great in the summer to get my caps and get a few games for Scotland, and it rounded off a good year for me. But I came down here and I need to establish myself in the team. I’m desperate to do well for the team and hopefully get going back in the right direction.

If that means I get back in the Scotland fold, then great. If not then I’m happy to be playing and doing well for Sunderland. If that’s something that comes in the future again, I’d be delighted.

Sunderland AFC via Getty images

Romanian starlet rejects Sunderland offer

Sunderland seem to have missed out on Romanian midfield prospect Calin Popescu after the 17-year-old signed for top flight side Sepsi OSK.

According to the Romanian press, the youngster had successful trials with both Sunderland and Nottingham Forest but instead signed an 18-month deal with Sepsi in the hopes of a quicker route to first team football.

Giaccherini hoping for return to England

Former Sunderland midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini is currently on the books of Serie A side Chievo but he did have a spell under Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri while they were both at Napoli.

That spell didn’t go well for Giaccherini with the player wondering whether or not he was a purchase of the club president rather than the manager but one thing the 33-year-old does have in common with Sarri is their love for the Premier League.

Although his Sunderland spell was not a huge success, the Italian international says if he ever becomes a coach, he hopes to do so in England due to his ‘great’ time with Sunderland:

Now I’m too old to think about going back to England as a player and tomorrow I do not know what I’ll do.

But if I had to decide to be a coach, I would like to have the opportunity to do it in the Premier League, because it is a wonderful championship and the environment is the best ever for football.

In the two years at Sunderland I had a great time and I felt emotions that I could no longer live elsewhere, because that atmosphere is truly unique.

Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images