Source: Daily_Mail
NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Sunderland need Cisse to stop sulking and start scoring
I have done some pretty daft things for the cause during a career in local and national newspapers which now stretches over 20 years.[LNB]When I was young and vulnerable and willing to do anything to get my name and face in The Yorkshire Evening Press, I got up to all sorts.[LNB]I ate crocodile in the first city centre restaurant to serve the dish - complete with a very silly photograph - went gliding over Pocklington and Full Sutton maximum security prison, built an igloo on Sutton Bank and tried my hand, unsuccessfully of course, at metal detecting on Scarborough beach.[LNB] Man in the mirror: Sunderland star Djibril Cisse must put a stop to his sulking and rediscover his scoring touch to keep the Black Cats alive in the Premier League[LNB]As Hull City reporter for The Hull Daily Mail, I applied for the vacant England manager's job following Graham Taylor's departure and although for some reason I didn't make the shortlist, I still have former FA chief executive Graham Kelly amusing reply framed on my office wall.[LNB] More from Colin Young... NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Only West Brom's demise can prevent the lights going out for Newcastle, Sunderland and Boro25/03/09 Newcastle 1 Arsenal 3: Wenger backs Newcastle to beat the drop22/03/09 Owen shock as Hughton drops Newcastle striker for key battle20/03/09 Ferdinand back to face City as Sbragia targets Sunderland revival20/03/09 Middlesbrough work on training ground plan to thwart Rory's rockets at Stoke20/03/09 Geordies fear new dark age as anniversary party could turn into wake19/03/09 Time is running out to save Newcastle from disaster, admits Hughton16/03/09 Middlesbrough 1 Portsmouth 1: Southgate urges Boro to pull together 15/03/09 VIEW FULL ARCHIVEAnd one of my more memorable interviews was actually with the Hull City mascot Roary The Tiger prior to an FA Cup tie with Chelsea, to my knowledge the only interview the big cuddly creature has ever given. [LNB]Needless to say his prediction that City would knock the Premier League side out of the competition did not come to fruition.[LNB]When my Daily Mail boss called me last month to 'suggest' I interviewed Djibril Cisse in his Pr9ject clothes boutique, and to ask the Sunderland striker to 'bling me up' I had a feeling his intention was to make me look as silly as possible. [LNB]And let's face it, he achieved his goal.[LNB]Cisse is a man who likes bright colours and the items packed on to the racks in the Newcastle city centre shop are certainly a reflection of his style. I asked him to sum up the store in one word. 'Different,' he said. And he is not wrong.[LNB] Hats off: Cisse takes the hot-seat during Sportsmail's exclusive interview with the on loan Sunderland striker at his fashion boutique in Newcastle[LNB]There are items for every taste, and pocket. From the smart white £40 trainers I tried on, to the garish £3,000 casual shoe recently purchased by Obafemi Martins' agent. [LNB]The biggest seller at the moment is the exclusive range of Hype Means Nothing t-shirts which feature the likes of Barrack Obama, Kanye West, Britney Spears or Marilyn Monroe which is yours for a very reasonable £55. [LNB]Or for ten times that amount you could have the hand-made Red Monkey jeans which, I was reliably informed, are THE jeans to wear.[LNB] Red midst: Cisse's frustration falls silent on referee Steve Tanner at Eastlands[LNB]Photographer Graham Chadwick travelled up to the North East to capture my fashion shoot, under the guise of the France international and I knew his images would cause some amusement back in our London office.[LNB]It's always a bad sign when a snapper starts laughing at the images before him and every time I emerged from the changing room in a different outfit, including the extreme Marvel Comic jacket with its Spiderman cartoons, Graham could hardly contain his amusement. He was not alone. [LNB]The Sunderland press office had sent their website team down to cover the event, and interview Cisse as he relaxed in the shop, and they too burst into spontaneous laughter as I paraded in Cisse's more elaborate choices.[LNB] Stand and deliver: Cisse scores his spot-kick past Milan goalkeeper Dida during Liverpool's famous 2005 Champions League final victory in Istanbul[LNB]It was all good fun for the sake of my art, and Cisse seemed to enjoy the occasion after cancelling on three occasions before meeting up.[LNB]Golden boy: Cisse with his Champions League winning medal[LNB]It was also an opportunity to interview arguably the most colourful character Sunderland have signed in their history.[LNB]And Cisse became particularly animated when the subject turned to Liverpool.[LNB] He was a Champions League winner on that memorable night in Istanbul, scoring one of the penalties to complete the incredible comeback against AC Milan, and he fondly remembers his time at Anfield which was cut short by the first of his two broken legs, and the arrival of Rafael Benitez.[LNB]It was clear that the uncertainty over his Sunderland future isplaying on his mind, and hindering his performances. [LNB]And the player whohad scored seven goals by the turn of the year could not deny that whenthe awkward question was put to him.[LNB]'Maybe it has been difficult for me,' he said. [LNB]'Itis not nice to worry about your future and to think about theuncertainty and perhaps I am distracted and I am not comfortable withthe situation but I have to deal with it. [LNB]'I want my future to be here but I am still waiting to sign. I am waiting, I am patient.'[LNB]Sunderland need Cisse to establish some sort of understanding with Kenwyne Jones and start scoring goals again. [LNB]If he can guide Sunderland safety over the next six weeks, he might just find chairman Niall Quinn is more sympathetic to his demands.[LNB] CISSE EXCLUSIVE: I'm not a fashion victim, Sunderland have nothing to fear Sportsmail's Colin Young: The day I was transformed into a Cisse SUNDERLAND FC
