Roker Roundup: Norwich man reveals Sunderland interest & Honeyman explains Walsall celebrations

Honeyman explains Walsall celebrations

During November’s League One clash at Walsall, the home side went two-nil up against a Sunderland side that were down to 10 men thanks to a Max Power red card.

Walsall’s Josh Ginnelly - who has since moved on to Preston North End - had scored that second with a sublime goal but afterwards ran to celebrate in front of the Sunderland fans while cupping his ears.

Speaking to the Roker Rapport podcast yesterday, Sunderland captain George Honeyman revealed that the Walsall winger’s celebration gave his side the motivation to complete the comeback and earn a 2-2 draw thanks to Lyndon Gooch’s late equaliser, which caused raucous celebrations by the visitors:

He [Ginnelly] scored the second goal, everyone was pretty riled up because of the Max sending off. They scored the second but his second goal, even though he hadn’t been getting any stick whatsoever, he just ran over to our fans across the other side and stood in front of them.

I just thought ‘I’m not having that’. You’re at home, you’re at front of all your fans, you’re playing against 10 men, you’re lucky enough that you’re playing against 10 of us.

Don’t start giving it the big ‘un just because you’re playing Sunderland and we’ve given you another top attendance. Every club we go to, it’s their biggest attendance for the season.

To be honest, I am glad he did do it because, if anything, it was motivation for us to go and comeback and win, it definitely got my back up and I think it got everyone else’s back up.

Are you doing this week in, week out when you’re playing other clubs and there’s 500 people (away fans) there watching you?

It just stuck in my mind when he scored, when he did that and when we drew 2-2. I don’t like watching it back because I’m thinking ‘you look like a right little divvy’ but yeah it was just came out of me and I was thinking ‘you know what mate, have a bit of that, you’ve been at it all game’.

You can listen to the entire Roker Rapport podcast with the Sunderland skipper by subscribing to iTunes, Acast, Spotify and Youtube by clicking the relevant links or alternatively just type ‘Roker Rapport’ into your nearest search engine - easy.

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Former striker takes step into management

Former Sunderland striker Stern John has taken his first steps into management by being named head coach of the Trinidad & Tobago under-17s.

The Caribbean nation are hoping to see their youth team represented at the under-17 World Cup, which takes place in November in Peru and John is excited at the challenge that represents:

It’s a fantastic op­por­tu­ni­ty for me and I’m excited about the challenge. It’s not an easy challenge but I’m excited and I’m relishing the op­por­tu­ni­ty to work with the youngsters.

I’ve been work­ing with the T&T men’s team for a couple years and also with Cen­tral FC, so I have a little experience under my belt. Hopefully, I can continue with my ex­pe­ri­ence and bring some­thing to the youth team.

It’s def­i­nite­ly an ex­cit­ing pe­ri­od to be serv­ing as head coach of a na­tion­al team for my country. I’ve played at every lev­el and now get­ting a chance to lead from the front and to work with up­com­ing play­ers is a big deal for me.

I’d like to thank the heads at the TTFA for giv­ing me this op­por­tu­ni­ty to make an­oth­er contribu­tion.

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

Norwich youngster reveals Sunderland interest

Norwich City signed young winger Josh Coley from Kevin Phillips’ old club Baldock Town in the summer, after the 19-year-old impressed on trial during pre-season.

He has been a regular for Norwich’s under-23 side this season and the former Hitchin Town forward revealed that he turned down a possible move to Sunderland to link up with the Canaries.

Southampton, Sunderland and Norwich showed an interest in me after a cup final I played in last year and Norwich was the best option for me.

I went on tour in Germany over the summer and managed to get offered a pro deal.

I was also working on a building site when I was playing in non-league. I worked for a small firm with one of the guys who played for Hitchin.

I was making my money laying bricks but the dream was always to play football.

Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images