FORMER Sunderland midfielder Gavin McCann has hung up his boots after failing to recover from a long-term ankle problem. The 33-year-old has spent the last 16 months trying to recover from injury, but has now decided to retire on medical advice. What was your opinion on him good, bad or indifferent?, certainly played a part in safc history..
We were talking about him the other week. Was he the last Sunerland player to get an England cap before Bent? Some thought McCann's was more recent than Phillips, others said not.
He was a hard working player who was not blessed with the greatest ability. His goal scoring record for us was nothing short of atrocious. As for good, bad or indifferent; I would go for the latter.
I was never his biggest fan but we got him for next to nothing and he has had a good career at Premiership level. To get an England cap is a good achievement and I say thanks for your time at SAFC and good luck in the future.
As has been said, he had a poor scoring record, but I saw him score an absolute screamer away to Arsenal in December 2000. Think it might have even been MOTD goal of the month, which doesn't happen to us too often!
He was all three really at different times of his career. He had a real purple patch for about 6 months to a year where at times he was outstanding. Since he left us though I have wondered how on earth he was still making a living out of the game as he was pretty awful whenever I saw him.
He played a massive part in our best ever premier league finish under Reid, I thought he was a very good player and under rated. As others have said he had his injury problems and was never the same player after he left Sunderland.
Brilliant tackler as been said. Remember actually closing my eyes when he and Patrick Vierra both went for a 50-50 ball. Thats probably where he got his ankle injury
