by Stuart Rayner, The Journal Jan 19 2013 AHMED Elmohamady is back at Sunderland, but his future almost certainly remains in East Yorkshire. The Egyptian has been recalled from a loan spell at Championship side Hull City after the Black Cats were unable to name a full substitutesâ bench for either FA Cup game against Bolton Wanderers. He is in the squad for todayâs Premier League match at Wigan Athletic. OâNeill recalled Elmohamady on Tuesday because it was his last chance to do so. He said: âHe had a situation where we can recall him, a bit like Danny Rose (who is on loan at Sunderland from Tottenham Hotspur). âThere was a certain day on which we had to do it. That was midnight after the game against Bolton. I had been told and forgotten about it. âIâve since spoken to Hull manager Steve Bruce and told him we will monitor it here. âElmo is enjoying it, heâs playing first-team football. Maybe thatâs not guaranteed here. If it was heâd be delighted to be coming back. âWe had to do it at the time otherwise it would have gone past the deadline.â Hull are keen to sign Elmohamady and OâNeill is trying to clear out the fringe players with no long-term future on Wearside. He has put Frazier Campbellâs move to Cardiff City on hold for the same reason Elmohamady has been recalled â Sunderland need more recruits before they can afford further departures. Alfred NâDiaye has joined from Bursaspor, and centre-back Kader Mangane is on a six-month loan, but they have been offset by the sale of David Meyler (also to Hull), and Ji Dong-wonâs loan to Augsburg. NâDiaye caught the eye during a six-minute cameo against West Ham United last week, but OâNeill doubts Mangane is quite ready for Premier League football yet after spending the first half of the season in the less intense Saudi Arabian football. He added: âBig Mangane is just checking out the environment . I am hoping heâll come in the short-term. âAlfred has been playing pretty regularly in a very decent league. He would be less of a concern.â Seems like a good move to have both Elmo and Frazier retained until we can find some new faces ourselves. Unlike his predecessor, Martin is a clever manager and isn't about to sell players without adequate or far superior replacements in place. I also think it makes the buying club nervous and more desperate to push the deal through and cough up the cash.
After Tuesday nights performance it was either a move of a man (MON) determined to give his team a kick up the arse or, as is more probable, he was trying to force Hulls hand into buying him. Personally dont think he's good enough for SAFC however, after a run of games down there he may come back full of confidence and a rejuvenated soul and surprise us all. Still think he will be away at the end of the season.
He did say last week that no one would leave until we had replacements in place. However that weakens our position as we need to sell. Elmo has done well at Hull as a RW we have 2 of those already in AJ and Seb, as a RB he isn't the best. He would provide cover for Bardo as I think MON is looking at putting Gardner CM with N'Diaye.
thats my view as well, its a good thing to have cover until we get somebody else in but its more likely a selling ploy.
Us lot down here are certain he will return to us during this window, if not emergancy loan window. It's a HUGE blow to us, he has been my player of the season so far! Fingers crossed on this!
