Why O'Neill Is 'Hanging Fire' With Mangane

Martin O'Neill says he wants to make sure Kader Mangane is ready for the task before throwing him into the Premiership relegation dog-fight. The Senegalese defender has not played since his arrival from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in January, but has made the bench as well as turning out for the club's Under 21 side in their recent encounter with Everton. A run of five games without a win has seen the pressure return to the Black Cats and a slide towards the relegation zone, and forthcoming games against QPR and Norwich are not fixtures for a half-fit player. Then there is the visit of title-chasing Manchester United, and O'Neill is reluctant to pitch Mangane into the uncharted territory. Martin O'Neill: "He's improving in terms of fitness, and that is good news for us. "If we had a few more points on the board, I think then you could risk throwing him into a game. "At some stage or another, he will play because we want to find out exactly what he is capable of doing. "He will just have to bide his time, but I would like him to be as fit as he possibly could be when he gets that opportunity." . Source: Sunderland-Mad

Source: FOOTYMAD