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Sunderland Chairman Niall Quinn Denies Craig Gordon Cash Rumours
The Black Cats' director has rubbished as spurious certain claims about why the keeper didn't start against West Brom...
| Bet: | Returns: | Sunderland £34.00 | Draw £33.00 | Arsenal £21.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Sunderland £35.00 | Draw £33.00 | Arsenal £21.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Sunderland £34.00 | Draw £33.00 | Arsenal £21.50 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Sunderland £35.00 | Draw £34.00 | Arsenal £21.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Sunderland £38.50 | Draw £35.50 | Arsenal £20.40 |
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May 5, 2009 7:54:29 PM
Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon was a surprise withdrawal from the Black Cats' side to face West Bromwich Albion last month, with the Scotland international's omission from the line-up triggering media speculation that he hadn't been played because his 50th appearance for the club would mean the Wearsiders paying an additional fee to Heart of Midlothian, his former club.
Gordon was signed from Edinburgh outfit Hearts last season for £9 million by former Black Cats manager Roy Keane, and his 50th game for Sunderland would mean that the Scottish club would be owed another £330,000 under the terms of the deal that took the player south.
Club chairman Niall Quinn has spoken out angrily about the rumours, claiming that they are nonsense.
"It was claimed that Craig didn't play because he was on 49 appearances and we as a club didn't want to make a payment to his former club," Quinn told The Sunderland Echo.
"None of us even knew he was on 49 appearances!
"Craig had a reaction to a knee problem. It's almost offensive that someone would think that after all the effort we've made and money we've poured into the club, that we would consider not playing our goalkeeper in an important match because of a payment.
"There are rumours all the time in football and I'm not going to get into the habit of commenting every time but the person who made this up, better not meet me!"
Manager Ricky Sbragia backed his chairman's commments, claiming that he was completely ignorant of the fact of Gordon's appearnce tally and its financial significance.
"I don't get into that side of things at all so I didn't have a clue about that," Sbragia told the Echo.
"All I know is that I was grateful to Craig for coming up to us late in the day and admitting he had a problem with the knee.
"Players are always likely to play on with an injury but that's often the worst thing they can do. The last thing I would have wanted to do was play Craig, aggravate the injury and find I'd lost him for the season.
"The knee injury seems similar to that Teemu Tainio had, so we're going to have to assess it week by week, and game by game.
"We thought a few weeks ago that Teemu was just about out for the season but then he made a quick recovery and has been available for our last few games. Hopefully the same will happen with Craig."
Zack Wilson, Goal.com
Gordon was signed from Edinburgh outfit Hearts last season for £9 million by former Black Cats manager Roy Keane, and his 50th game for Sunderland would mean that the Scottish club would be owed another £330,000 under the terms of the deal that took the player south.
Club chairman Niall Quinn has spoken out angrily about the rumours, claiming that they are nonsense.
"It was claimed that Craig didn't play because he was on 49 appearances and we as a club didn't want to make a payment to his former club," Quinn told The Sunderland Echo.
"None of us even knew he was on 49 appearances!
"Craig had a reaction to a knee problem. It's almost offensive that someone would think that after all the effort we've made and money we've poured into the club, that we would consider not playing our goalkeeper in an important match because of a payment.
"There are rumours all the time in football and I'm not going to get into the habit of commenting every time but the person who made this up, better not meet me!"
Manager Ricky Sbragia backed his chairman's commments, claiming that he was completely ignorant of the fact of Gordon's appearnce tally and its financial significance.
"I don't get into that side of things at all so I didn't have a clue about that," Sbragia told the Echo.
"All I know is that I was grateful to Craig for coming up to us late in the day and admitting he had a problem with the knee.
"Players are always likely to play on with an injury but that's often the worst thing they can do. The last thing I would have wanted to do was play Craig, aggravate the injury and find I'd lost him for the season.
"The knee injury seems similar to that Teemu Tainio had, so we're going to have to assess it week by week, and game by game.
"We thought a few weeks ago that Teemu was just about out for the season but then he made a quick recovery and has been available for our last few games. Hopefully the same will happen with Craig."
Zack Wilson, Goal.com
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