Source: Northern_Echo
Anton back in favour
SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce has revealed clear-theair talks were held with Anton Ferdinand after a training ground bust-up saw the defender fall out-of-favour at the Stadium of Light.[LNB] Ferdinand looked destined to leave the club after the row with Bruce in August, with Italian side Palermo coming close signing the former West Ham United man on loan.[LNB] However, the deal broke down but Bruce now insists the player has a future at the club after the pair put their differences behind them.[LNB] He is back in the frame,[LNB] Bruce said. Sometimes you have a row at work, it happens.[LNB] But the one thing I'll never do is bear a grudge.[LNB] I'll never, in management, cut my nose off to spite my face even though some might say that'd be an improvement![LNB] Sometimes you have a row. We had a row but so what[LNB] We pay his wages, he came back into the team and played very well so he'll be in contention for Wigan.[LNB] He's still got a future here because he's our player. He's not gone anywhere and if and when he's required he'll play.[LNB] The Black Cats boss also says he wanted to keep promising youngster Martyn Waghorn, but revealed Leicester's offer for the player was just too good to turn down.[LNB] The 20-year-old enjoyed an impressive spell at the Walker's Stadium last season, scoring 12 goals for the Championship side and hoped his form would help him break into Sunderland's first team.[LNB] However, with the signings of Danny Welbeck and Asamoah Gyan, Waghorn found himself down the pecking order so made a £3m move to Leicester on deadline day.[LNB] In an ideal world I would have kept Martyn, Bruce said.[LNB] But the offer was simply too great and I obviously needed it to make sure we balanced the books.[LNB] I think he's got a big future in the game but he's not quite ready for the Premier League, but in a two years' time he could be, so I wish him well.[LNB] He's a great kid but they offered a staggering amount of money so we managed to put that in the kitty.[LNB] In the end the £3m I got from Martyn, along with the money from selling Lorik and Kenwyne, has enabled me to balance the books.[LNB] They were big decisions selling Lorik and Kenwyne but that's what I get paid for.[LNB] Even though Bruce insists Sunderland will not bring any more players in, he did hint that a couple of his squad could depart on loan.[LNB] Over the next two months, Sunderland face four top-six sides and Bruce says it is vital his side get something out of their visit to old club Wigan on Saturday.[LNB] September is our hardest month we've got Wigan, the cup tie and then Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United.[LNB] It's a very, very difficult September for us. It was imperative we got the result against Man City and the same against Wigan, considering who we've got to play against next.[LNB]
