Keane: Miller can still save Sunderland career

ROY KEANE insists there is still time for Liam Miller to rescue his Sunderland career.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder was slapped on the transfer list by manager Keane after being late for training on several occasions.

But Keane has since had no complaints about Miller’s timekeeping and has brought him back into the first-team fold.

The Corkman was hauled off after an hour of the 2-0 defeat at Bolton a week ago when Keane warned that some players had run out of chances.

But Keane explained: “Liam has done very well. He’s got a year left on his contract so we’ll see how that pans out over the summer.

“He’s shown a good attitude — and most importantly, he’s been on time! You might laugh, but when you’re on time, it gives you a chance.

“Liam would have been disappointed with his performance last week, but his best position is in the middle of the park and we played him a little bit towards the right.”

Keane, who this week confirmed that Ian Harte, Andy Cole, Stan Varga and Stephen Wright will be released when their contracts run out this summer, also transfer-listed former Celtic winger Ross Wallace.

“I said to Ian Harte a few months ago that he might be best moving on and part of the job I have enjoyed is people showing me a good attitude.

“I think it’s important that we don’t focus on one or two players who have annoyed me of late with their attitude.

“Let’s focus on those who have shown a good attitude and that would be big Stan Vargas and lads who are leaving.”

Keane, whose side end their season at home to Arsenal tomorrow, says he will go for “quality, not quantity” in the transfer market this summer in a bid to build on the Black Cats’ top-flight survival.

He is booked for talks with chairman Niall Quinn and chief executive Peter Walker next week, when he will hope to be handed a war- chest of around £50m (€63m).

But Keane was in jocular mood when he said: “I haven’t a clue what’s going to happen. I don’t know what their plans are in terms of what money is available. I was told last summer what was available, and I’m sure I’ll be told next week what’s available this time.

“I will be a lot wiser at this meeting than I was last year and a lot more aware of what is needed in the Premier League because we’ve found out that the gap between the Championship and the Premier League is massive.

“I don’t think we should predict what will happen next week. I might not be here next week! I haven’t got a figure in my head. They might surprise me — they might say £200m and I might fall off my chair!

“With Peter Walker, it’ll be 200 grand maybe! No, I haven’t got my mind set on anything. I have a list of players I want and, trust me, the list is not that big. Last year we had a long list.

“The priority will be getting players who will take us to the next level. We’re not going to try to sign players with a fancy name or long hair.

“Getting the money next week might not be the hard part, it might be getting the players in. We want to bring players in who will excite the fans, but I need exciting, Jesus!

“Remember, we didn’t get the opportunity to speak to one or two players last year because a player said his wife wanted to go to London.

“I can’t get my head round that.

“I always believe Sunderland is an attraction, but I realise we have to pay the money.

“Lots of people say ‘no’. I bet Everton said no to Manchester United when they asked about Wayne Rooney, but sometimes ‘no’ means ‘yes’ — if you know what I mean. Most of the players we would hope to bring to the club would be based on these islands. We wouldn’t be bringing in as many as 10 players, but probably more than five. Make it seven-and-a-half!”