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. 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. 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. He is back in the frame, Bruce said. Sometimes you have a row at work, it happens. But the one thing I'll never do is bear a grudge. I'll never, in management, cut my nose off to spite my face even though some might say that'd be an improvement! Sometimes you have a row. We had a row but so what We pay his wages, he came back into the team and played very well so he'll be in contention for Wigan. 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. 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. 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. 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. In an ideal world I would have kept Martyn, Bruce said. But the offer was simply too great and I obviously needed it to make sure we balanced the books. 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. He's a great kid but they offered a staggering amount of money so we managed to put that in the kitty. 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. They were big decisions selling Lorik and Kenwyne but that's what I get paid for. 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. 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. September is our hardest month we've got Wigan, the cup tie and then Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United. 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.