Source: Daily_Mail
Let's hope Ipswich have got deep pockets - Sportsmail's verdict on the £80m Sunderland transfer rec
Roy Keane's new employers had better get their chequebooks ready. The Irishman signed a whopping 39 players for about £80million in less than two-and-a-half seasons at Sunderland.[LNB]In his defence, the Sunderland manager has had to build three teams. His first aim was to attract players to survive in the Championship, and then maintain an unexpected, premature and ultimately very successful push for promotion.[LNB]Perhaps the rise to the Barclays Premier League came too early, but Keane needed new blood to survive, although he gambled on the likes of Kenwyne Jones, Kieran Richardson, Craig Gordon, Paul McShane and Greg Halford with mixed results, he achieved the goal with three points and three places to spare.[LNB][LNB][LNB] Sealing the deal: Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn (left) gave Keane plenty of support in transfer dealings[LNB]In the summer he took his spending to more than £80million by adding an entirely new squad, but has again suffered more misses than hits.[LNB]Sportsmail's Colin Young gives his verdict on Keane's dealings in the transfer market, awarding 'R' raspberry ratings or a '+' for his hits... [LNB]2006/7Liam Miller. Free. Manchester United. RRRemains a regular in Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland squad but unable to hold down a spot under Keane. Sunderland career overshadowed by the repeated tardiness which forced Keane to put him on the transfer list and frustrating inconsistency.[LNB] BREAKING NEWS: Tractor Roy - Keane replaces sacked Magilton in Portman Road hotseatRoy's story: The highs and lows of KeaneRoy Keane emerges as prime candidate to replace Jim Magilton after Ipswich sack boss for failing to secure play-off spot[LNB]Dwight Yorke. Free. Sydney FC. +A hit, but age has denied him regular games. His intelligence means his head still has it, even in the Barclays Premier League, sadly the legs are going. Offering an extra year now seems on odd decision.[LNB][LNB][LNB] Hit and miss: Dwight Yorke (left) has done well at Sunderland, while Liam Miller has been an unsurprising flop at the Stadium of Light[LNB]Graham Kavanagh. £500,000. Wigan. ROne of Keane's best signings but that was as an excellent Championship player. Lengthy injury actually ruled him out of most of the promotion season and now on loan at Carlisle.[LNB]Stanislav Varga. Undisclosed. Celtic. RRRRPlayed with Keane at Celtic and another for the lower league but found out too many times at that level and not been seen since February last year.[LNB]David Connolly. £1.4m. Wigan. RRTop scorer in the Championship year but hip and hernia problems ruled him out of the top flight, if he would have been given a chance anyway. His injuries and wages have curtailed any possibility of moving on.[LNB]Ross Wallace. Undisclosed. Celtic. RLooked destined for Scotland recognition at one point, but bombed out at the end of last season and now on loan at Preston. Perhaps deserved a longer stint on Wearside.[LNB]Lewis Nyatanga. Loan. Derby. RRRWales international signed on loan for left-back cover in the Championship. Struggled for regular place and soon headed back to Derby.[LNB][LNB][LNB] Good but gone: Jonny Evans (No 4) is mobbed after scoring against Hull in 2007[LNB]Jonny Evans. Loan. Manchester United. + Had two loan spells from Manchester United, the Northern Ireland international is one of the most promising young defenders in the country and Keane must wish he could sign him permanently but he knows Evans has every chance of becoming a regular at Old Trafford.[LNB]Marton Fulop. £500,000. Tottenham. RRPromising keeper at Spurs, international credentials with Hungary, on the verge of joining Stoke in the summer but deal fell through at the last minute. Failed to live up to expectations in his first run and unable to keep out half-fit Craig Gordon last week.[LNB]Carlos Edwards. £1.4m. Luton. +Injury-plagued 30-year-old with real ability who made an impact in the promotion run. Struggled with injuries since but Keane's indecision on the winger is final. Started the season in the squad, loaned to Wolves for a month, recalled and played against West Ham. Who knows what the future holds.[LNB]Anthony Stokes. £2m. Arsenal. RRRKeane battled hard with Celtic, West Ham and Charlton for the Arsenal trainee who was a hit with 14 goals in 16 Scottish League games for Falkirk. The move appeared to go to his head, he is another of the Late Three, who showed alarming naivety in his infrequent appearances. Now on loan at Sheffield United, but already had a run-in with Kevin Blackwell.[LNB]Danny Simpson. Loan. Manchester United. + Steady full-back taken on loan from Manchester United by Keane who did his bit for the club in 2007, now a regular at Blackburn.[LNB]Stern John. Undisclosed. Coventry. RScored four crucial goals to take them up and used as part of the Kenwyne Jones deal which took him to Southampton but now on loan at Bristol City.[LNB][LNB][LNB] High point: Stern John celebrates scoring against Birmingham in August last year[LNB]2007/8Craig Gordon. £9m. Hearts. R/+A competent young keeper in Scotland with international experience and still remains a promising one who gains experience all the time. But worth £9m? Sadly not. Yet.[LNB]Paul McShane. £2.5m. West Brom. RWholehearted Ireland international defender but prone to mistakes and Keane ran out of patience midway through last season. Talks a good game though and now doing so regularly and well, and out of position, at Hull City.[LNB]Dickson Etuhu. £1.5m. Norwich. RRRLooked the business in the spoiling midfield role last season, but another who barely lasted after Christmas last year. Signed by Fulham for the same fee as Keane paid.[LNB]Kieran Richardson. £5.5m. Manchester United. +Suffered a career-threatening injury and last season was a virtual right-off. Returned to the heart of Sunderland's midfield this term and sporadic but brilliant at times, as his derby winner against Newcastle demonstrated.[LNB]Michael Chopra. £5m. Cardiff. RLike it or not, a controversial signing, especially for £5m, just a year after leaving home-town club Newcastle for a tenth of that price after failing to make the side. 'Fox in the box' Keane called him and used him mainly as a winger. Currently on loan back at Cardiff after Academy striker Martyn Waghorn returned from injury but the goals are bound to come.[LNB]Greg Halford. £2.5m. Reading. RRRRRKeane once said 'I look at players after a few days and think "nah, you're not for me".' Could he possibly have been referring to the Reading full-back who played just eight shambolic games. Reading could not believe their luck at that fee - as Wally Downes may have pointed out to Keane. Now on loan at Sheffield United.[LNB][LNB][LNB] Top of the flops: Greg Halford fails to stop another useless player - Liverpool's Andriy Voronin - from scoring[LNB]Roy O'Donovan. Undisclosed. Cork City. RRRGamble from Cork, but unlike Stephen Hunt and Kevin Doyle, did not exceed expectations. Keane tried to persevere but it just didn't happen for the striker who is now on loan at Dundee United. So unconvincing even Trapattoni hasn't picked him.[LNB]Russell Anderson. £1m. Aberdeen. RRRRScotland international defender with a decent reputation at Aberdeen, but played just one game as a Premier League substitute. Loan spells with Plymouth and Burnley ruined by injury and currently recovering from cruciate injury.[LNB]Danny Higginbotham. £2.5m. Stoke. RAnother former Manchester United junior offered a chance at the top level by Keane. Up and down performer who lost his place to Jonny Evans last season before he was given back to Stoke where he is the regular and reliable left-back.[LNB]Kenwyne Jones. £6m. Southampton. +Without doubt Keane's best signing. Just don't mention it was by accident after Alan Smith, Mido and Darren Bent fell through - although mystery still surrounds which one blamed the missus and caused Keane's outbursts against WAGs. Last season's top scorer who is powerful, committed, leads the line brilliantly but only recently returned after four-month knee injury. Keane needs the partnership with Djibril Cisse to take off.[LNB]Ian Harte. Free. Levante. RRROffered a lifeline after Spain but just three starts to his name. A free transfer gamble which sadly just didn't work out for both sides.[LNB]Andrew Cole. Free. Portsmouth. RRRRA peculiar signing because he was never going to play and did not complete 90 minutes in his few appearances. Failed to score before heading to Burnley on loan.[LNB]Phil Bardsley. £2m. Manchester United. RLooked steady last season and must have been bemused by Pascal Chimbonda's move to Wearside. His reward is to be in and out of the side, or played at left-back. A trier, which can't be said for some.[LNB] Raspberry Rade: Prica was a panic buy that went wrong[LNB] Rade Prica. £2m. FC Aalborg. RRRRRA panic buy last January. Got the winner against Birmingham but has never looked like a Premier League footballer. Handed the No 45 shirt, soon to be followed by a return ticket to Sweden.[LNB]Andy Reid. £4 million. Charlton. +Helped keep the club up but in and out of the side this season and psychologically must be struggling to come to terms with Trapattoni's rejection from the Ireland squad. It is a bizarre exclusion but not helped by failing to keep his place at Sunderland. Still the best passer and creative mind at the club.[LNB]Yves Mvoto-Mvoto. £300,000. Paris St-Germain. RRWho indeed? Lanky teenage defender signed from Paris Saint-Germain, occasional reserve player who has got nowhere near the first team squad.[LNB]2008/9Nick Colgan. Free. Ipswich. RSigned when Marton Fulop looked destined for Stoke, despite Gavin Ward and young Trevor Carson on the books, but now just another drain on the wage bill. Reliable former understudy to Shay Given with Ireland, just don't expect to see him play.[LNB]George McCartney. £4.5m. West Ham. +Keane needed a left-back and the Northern Ireland international fell into his lap, with his partner desperate to get back to the North East. His absence has coincided with the recent dreadful run.[LNB]Anton Ferdinand. £8m. West Ham. +A steady and promising start after arriving from Upton Park but his confidence looks hit by the appalling goals conceded far too often.[LNB][LNB][LNB] Looking good: Anton Ferdinand tussles with Craig Bellamy against his former club, West Ham[LNB]Pascal Chimbonda. Undisclosed. Tottenham. RRRHad trouble written all over him, but that did not put Keane off. All too predictably, time keeping is an issue, he has moaned to the French press about being out of the team and likes a good sulk. Countdown on his departure started soon after and he was back at Spurs before you knew it.[LNB]Teemu Tainio. Undisclosed. Tottenham. RInjuries have not helped the Finland international settle at Sunderland, but few Tottenham fans will be surprised to see he spends most weekends on the bench. No doubt impresses the coaches occasionally but not a player who catches the eye.[LNB]Steed Malbranque. Undisclosed. Tottenham. +Completes the Tottenham trio and made the best impression with his tidy manner and precise passing. Only completed five of his 15 games and must be disappointed with his zero goal return.[LNB]David Meyler. Undisclosed. Cork City. RYoung Cork midfielder signed on the recommendation of scouts Keane trusts, even though there are numerous promising midfielders in the academy, not least Jordan Henderson and Jack Colback, who have broken into the first team squad. Been on the bench, but yet to play.[LNB][LNB][LNB] Standing out: Djibril Cisse has caught the eye with his haircuts as much as his potency in front of goal[LNB]Djibril Cisse. Loan. Marseille. +Shock summer signing on loan from Marseille which put the club on the map. Missed far more than the six he has scored which must have driven his manager mad, yet in a moment he can deliver brilliance unlike any other striker at the club and he does put a shift in.[LNB]David Healy. Undisclosed. Fulham. RRKeane had nine strikers on his books when he signed the Northern Ireland international, 18 months after failing to persuade him to quit Leeds. Can't re-discover his incredible international goalscoring from the bench, which predictably is where he has been since August.[LNB]El-Hadji Diouf. £2.5m. Bolton. RRAs frustrating and popular with fans as he was at Bolton, but yet to replicate the influence which made him such a vital cog at the Reebok at the height of his powers.[LNB] BREAKING NEWS: Tractor Roy - Keane replaces sacked Magilton in Portman Road hotseatRoy's story: The highs and lows of KeaneRoy Keane emerges as prime candidate to replace Jim Magilton after Ipswich sack boss for failing to secure play-off spot[LNB] [LNB]
