Sunderland Football Club

• Nickname:Black Cats
• Founded:1879
• Manager:Paolo Di Canio

• Ground:Stadium of light
• Capacity:48353

Diouf seeks Black Cats talks

05 Jan 2009 - 09:03:03

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Sunderland forward El Hadji Diouf wants talks with manager Ricky Sbragia over his future at the Stadium of Light.

The Senegal international joined the Black Cats in a £2.6million deal from Bolton Wanderers last summer but has been largely out in the cold since Sbragia replaced Roy Keane in the managerial hot-seat.

The 27-year-old's appearance in Saturday's FA Cup third round win over Bolton was only his second since Sbragia took the managerial reins at the beginning of December.

The former Liverpool striker has been linked with a transfer window move to Blackburn Rovers, where he would be reunited with former Trotters boss Sam Allardyce.

"I need a proper chat with Ricky to find out what his plans are for me," claimed Diouf.

"I don't know how important he thinks I am.

"I am just waiting to see what happens. I have already had a brief chat with him, but I want a longer conversation.

"I was very happy to play against my old team and the fact we won obviously made it much better. But I need to see what Ricky imagines me doing in the second half of the season.

"The bottom line is that I want to play and I have only been playing a little bit in recent weeks.

"I know Ricky very well because we worked together at Bolton and that's why I'm very honest with him and can tell him exactly what I want.

"Hopefully, he feels exactly the same and will tell me whether he needs me or not. I don't know what will happen, but if I'm picked for more games why shouldn't I stay?

"Certainly I have no regrets joining Sunderland and I want to be successful here.

"But if I am not playing and don't feel needed, I would want to go."