Roker Roundup: Sunderland linked w/ promising Oldham defender & Jack Ross on Scotland shortlist?

Ross on Scotland shortlist

Jack Ross has been consistently linked with the vacant Scotland national team manager role since Alex McLeish was relieved of his duties last week and reports suggest the Sunderland manager is indeed on the Scottish FA’s shortlist.

The Daily Record say Ross joins former Sunderland manager David Moyes, former Black Cats target Derek McInnes, Steve Clarke, Malky Mackay and Scot Gemmill on the shortlist as the Scottish FA held a meeting yesterday to discuss their options.

Although under-21 coach Gemmill and Scottish performance director Mackay may be appointed as interim coaches for the end of season games against Cyprus and Belgium, chief executive Ian Maxwell will decide whether or not to press ahead with making a permanent appointment as soon as possible.

Sunderland AFC

Oldham defender linked

As the season is drawing to a close, it is time for transfer rumours to start picking up pace and that was the case yesterday with a member of the League Two Team of the Season being linked with a move to the Stadium of Light.

According to former Sky Sports North East reporter Pete O’Rourke, Sunderland are interested in signing Oldham Athletic defender George Edmundson.

The report claims that the club are keen to sign the 21-year-old regardless of what division we find ourselves in next season but would face competition for the centre-back’s signature from Stoke City and Preston North End.

Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Kyle discusses Rae’s Celtic wind up

Former Sunderland striker Kevin Kyle appeared on the Keeping the Ball on the Ground podcast this week and told a funny story regarding his old team-mate Alex Rae.

Kyle said that the combative midfielder and boyhood Rangers fan used to ask Peter Reid permission to wear his Rangers shirt for training sessions at the Academy of Light just so he could wind up the Celtic supporting Irish contingent in the squad:

When we were at Sunderland, with Alex Rae, he was the biggest Rangers fan I have ever seen.

He used to come in on Monday and we had loads of Irish players - a big Celtic following - and he would go to Peter Reid and say ‘Gaffer, can I be in my Rangers top today?’.

He would go and change into his Rangers top and go around the training ground singing all sorts of Rangers songs and you’re like “Oh man”.

You can watch the rest of the podcast in the link below:

Photo by Chris Furlong/Getty Images