Gary Bennett on six ways to improve SAFC squad MARTIN OâNEILL will put his own stamp on Sunderland over the summer ready for his first full season in charge. OâNeill took over in December and led an underachieving side from the brink of relegation to a comfortable mid-table spot, just one win short of repeating last yearâs 10th-placed finish. The Irishman turned Sunderlandâs season round with minimal outlay â signing just two players on loan in January, both of which were barely-used â but he has now had six months to assess the players he inherited, and is gearing up for a busy close season as he seeks to revamp his squad. Here ex-Sunderland skipper, and now BBC Radio Newcastle summariser, Gary Bennett suggests the six areas he would earmark for improvement. Strikers WHEN you look at Sunderlandâs season overall, the lack of goals has been the biggest problem. Three Sunderland players finished the season with eight goals apiece but no one reached double figures, and that isnât good enough. With Nicklas Bendtnerâs loan now over, and with Asamoah Gyan seemingly unlikely to return, we are in need of at least one and more likely two top-class strikers. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/sport/su...-ways-to-improve-safc-squad-79310-31005966/2/ Sunderland need strikers who you can count on for 15-plus goals over the course of a season, and we havenât had anyone like that since Darren Bent left 16 months ago. Say what you like about Bent and the way he left, but he knows where the net is and Sunderland havenât been able to replace his goals. Unfortunately, there arenât many players like Bent around â and if you can find them, they are usually expensive! This will be the area that Martin OâNeill spends most of his time â and transfer funds â trying to improve. Left-back THIS has been a problem position for Sunderland for years â we havenât had a specialist left-back since George McCartney fell out of favour two years ago. In that time different managers have used Danny Collins, Kieran Richardson, Jack Colback, Phil Bardsley and David Vaughan, amongst others, at left-back. All of them have done a job there, but they are not specialists. Even last season when Wayne Bridge, who is a left-back, came on loan he was short of match fitness and so didnât play many games. Sunderland have needed a genuine left-back for a couple of seasons now, and Iâm sure OâNeill will be looking at that. Midfield SUNDERLAND have plenty of midfielders but when you look across the middle, we lack height and presence. Seb Larsson, Lee Cattermole, David Vaughan, Jack Colback, Craig Gardner, Kieran Richardson and James McClean are all good players but all are under six feet tall. I think the only six-footer in the midfield is David Meyler. In fact â aside from central defence â there isnât a lot of height in the team full-stop. That was something that showed in the FA Cup game against Everton, where they came with a team that included the likes of Fellaini, Distin, Jagielka and Jelavic, all of whom are over six foot. In the modern game you need to have size and strength in the middle of the park. Centre-half CENTRAL defence is a key area and it would be no surprise to me if OâNeill brings in another frontline centre-back. Weâve already got Michael Turner, Wes Brown and John OâShea, and Matt Kilgallon has done a job when needed, but I still expect OâNeill to strengthen in this department. He brought players like Richard Dunne and James Collins to Villa, so you can see the kind of attributes he values. You have to be mobile, quick and dominant in the air. Right wing SEB LARSSON gives you good delivery from the right and is also an asset for his set-pieces, but the one thing he lacks is pace. We have plenty of pace down the left through James McClean, and if we could bring in a similarly pacey right-winger to give us another outlet it would cause all kinds of problems for other teams. Larsson would still be a valuable member of the side but having the option of bringing a quick winger off the bench would give us more variety. Utility I WOULD also look for a utility man â someone who is comfortable playing anywhere across the back line. Wherever he has been, OâNeill has usually had a utility defender in his squad and I would expect him to do the same here. Having a versatile defender to call on is a big help because it gives you options when players are missing through injury or suspension â or if you have to change things round during a game. Carlos Cuellar is someone OâNeill has worked with before at Aston Villa and he is out of contract this summer. Heâs the kind of player I would look at.
This. Met him several times and I have to say he lives up to the star billing every time. So approachable and such a lovely bloke he is one of my all time favourites too Mons. A legend in the truest sense. He is up there with the Carters, Kerrs, Hurleys and Rowells. Bally and Benno. Does it get any more legendary?
Absolutely agree mate. I've also had the pleasure of meeting him twice, he's a right funny ****er! You wouldn't wanna fight the fella either!
Would stick Andeson, Cloughie, Crossen, And maybe Cess Irwin alongside, and many more Im sure fom other folks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU8Lwixj6mk The video was originally uploaded by a mate of mine who's a Derby fan, but who loves the image of Benno sorting Speedie out!
I met him in Trimdon Labout Clus when he was doing a talk there (I worked behind the bar) - proper nice bloke as well MM!
****in love Benno and that clip is class, it's the way the little **** weasel hangs around on the pitch remonstrating (or actually avoiding going into the tunnel with Benno who looked like he would have played Hillbilly licks on the balding ginger ****s knee tendons whilst crushing his oesophagus with the patented big black Benno vice grip). He had gone up to Bennet before the match(can't remember if it was his first game back after a major lay up due to his knee) and said I'm going to do your knee! Mind I wish he would grab Nick Barnes in a similar fasion when he starts blathering on about what people are wearing
