Roker Roundup: Costly signing Ricky Alvarez says he enjoyed his time at Sunderland

Alvarez on his good time with Sunderland

Argentine winger Ricky Alvarez had a brief Sunderland career, that is best known now for the legal battles surrounding the former Inter Milan player that dragged on for years after his departure.

Alvarez has been talking about his time at the Stadium of Light with Inter fansite passioneinter.com and, although he says that he may not do it again if he had the chance, he always wanted to play in the Premier League and believes he had a good experience at Sunderland:

Playing in the Premier League is something I’ve always wanted to try. Then Inter, as I said, lived a different moment than now. It was a decision. Going back maybe I would not do it again.

In England, however, it was a good experience, to try their football. However, it will remain among the memories of my career.

He picked up an injury on his debut that he never really recovered but reveals that he still enjoyed his time at the club and living in a different country and culture:

After the first game I got hurt and I struggled to recover, it was a special year. But in any case of growth, of experience, to live their football, their culture, their country so different from Italy. It was still a good time.

When asked whether he was disappointed with how his Sunderland career ended, he said that he is only disappointed in himself and that he never succeeded at the club:

Yes, but with myself.

I wanted to live up to that championship. For other reasons I have not succeeded, I have that regret.

But come on, it went like this and I keep the positive things.

Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images

Rae on his favourite Sunderland memories

Alex Rae took part in a Question and Answer session on Twitter this week, taking over the Rangers Youth Development Company’s Twitter account to respond to questions from Rangers fans.

Although the majority of answers were obviously regarding the Scottish club, he did reveal that the best player he ever played with was Sunderland legend Kevin Phillips and told how he once tried to convince the then Rangers chairman David Murray into signing him:

Rae also said that winning Division One with Sunderland and the subsequent open top bus parade were his biggest achievement and favourite non-Rangers memory of his entire playing career:

Photo by Adam Davy/EMPICS via Getty Images

Advocaat signs new deal

Former Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat hit the ground running at Eredivisie side Feyenoord, losing just one of his 21 games in charge and has been rewarded with a new one-year deal to remain at the club.

The Dutch football season is likely to be ended due to the current pandemic, with the KNVB saying in a statement that it “intends not to continue playing the 2019-20 competition” but will consult with UEFA before making a final decision.

Despite the 2019-20 season almost certainly being prematurely ended, Advocaat says he is happy to commit to the club despite the current circumstances:

Of course it feels strange in these times, but ultimately it is also good to extend my contract with this beautiful club.

Certainly in the past crazy weeks I noticed how passionate I am and how much I want to continue as a coach.

Something really started to develop within the team here at Feyenoord until everything came to a standstill. I want that to carry on and the club wants that too, so that’s what we aim for, despite the many uncertainties that exist at the moment.

Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty images