Roker Roundup: Former Sunderland midfielder is found guilty of match fixing

Etuhu found guilty

Ex-Sunderland midfielder Dickson Etuhu had been acquitted of a charge of match-fixing last year but that decision has been overturned in a Swedish appeals court.

Etuhu had been accused of trying to influence AIK Stockholm goalkeeper Kyriakos ‘Kenny’ Stamatopoulos to fix a Allsvenskan game back in 2017.

The Swedish court found Etuhu was guilty on appeal and revealed that there was no doubt he was attempting to fix a match:

The content of what the men submitted to the player was so clear that it should be considered a criminal offer of bribe.

Etuhu escaped a jail sentence and will instead pay a fine and will serve probation.

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Ruiter’s unpleasant surprise

Robbin Ruiter has been described as ‘unpleasantly surprised’ by the most recent selection of his PSV Eindhoven manager Mark van Bommel.

The former Dutch international decided to make a change in goal after his side had suffered a poor run of form, informing current number one Joeron Zuit that he was being dropped from the starting line-up for last weekend’s fixture against Willem II.

That then led to a misunderstanding with Robbin Ruiter - who had been Zoet’s deputy this season - and Zoet himself believing they were swapping places but instead van Bommel decided to start third choice Lars Unnerstall, with Zoet only finding out he was dropped completely shortly before kick-off.

van Bommel also informed Zoet that he was not allowed to be pictured at the game, so rather than staying in the dressing room the Dutch international spent the duration of the match on the team’s coach and the decision also upset former Sunderland goalkeeper Ruiter who had expected to start himself:

As a replacement for Jeroen, I have not let anyone down, it is that simple. So I expect to get a chance, that has not happened. But that’s how it is.

Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images

Ndoye proud of Sunderland spell

Former Sunderland loanee Dame N’Doye is having something of a career resurgence at the age of 34 with Danish side FC Copenhagen

The Senegalese international has eight goals in just 11 games this season, after firing 24 goals last season as his side won the Danish Superliga.

Giving a rare interview, N’Doye says he never felt any pressure returning to Copenhagen for a second spell and was determined to not to go back and disappoint:

No, not really, even though it has happened before that players have returned to their old club and it has ended up as a failure. It would have been a pity to come back for a year and lose it all on the floor.

But I couldn’t disappoint Ståle Solbakken. There was a lot of pressure on him when he made me sign. He convinced many that I was going back, and did much to get me here. So I had to perform, and if I had to, we had to win the league.

N’Doye also explained that his spells in the Premier League with both Sunderland and Hull City were a career highlight and despite only scoring six goals in England, he is proud of proving he could compete at that level:

Many people felt I didn’t have that level. I showed that I had the potential for it and that I can. It has helped me a lot in my career.

Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images