‘Hard work’: Roy Keane admits he was warned not to sign two players for Sunderland

During his time at Sunderland, Roy Keane received warnings not to sign these two players.

After bringing Sunderland from 23rd place in the Championship to the Premier League, Roy Keane was appointed manager in 2006.

Two years after being appointed, the former midfield player quit after placing 15th in the premier league the following season.

During his tenure at the Stadium of Light, Keane brought in some outstanding players, including as Phil Bardsley, Kieran Richardson, and Steed Malbranque.

Djibril Cisse and Pascal Chimbonda were two more stars he signed for Sunderland, despite Keane’s admission that he had been advised not to purchase either player.

The 52-year-old has clarified how, despite their assertions to the contrary, one of them turned out to be false.

Keane stated: “Sometimes you don’t know a player until he walks into the building” on Gary Neville’s Stick to Football podcast.

“When I call, people say things like, ‘He’s a good lad,’ or ‘I’m not sure.'”

“Everyone told me that Djibril Cisse wasn’t a terrific guy when I attempted to get him, but I took a chance, and he turned out to be one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. Sincerely, until a player enters the building, you don’t know him.

“I brought Pascal Chimbonda in against people’s advice not to touch him because I believed we needed his Premier League caliber and expertise. He was quite diligent when he arrived, and I’m being incredibly nice.”I ignored advice from others because I believed we needed him. I recall receiving a call after leaving Sunderland from a member of the Spurs coaching staff, informing me that Chimbonda had already visited the team and they were considering adding him. “I wouldn’t be sure,” I remarked. Tomorrow, they purchased him. Why call individuals and ask for their opinions when you may sometimes take a chance and make poor decisions under pressure?

How did Djibril Cisse & Pascal Chimbonda fare at Sunderland?

Djibril Cisse joined Sunderland on loan from Marseille in August 2008.

The Frenchman scored on his debut as the Black Cats beat Tottenham, and it was only a month after he arrived at the club that Roy Keane admitted that he was prepared to break the transfer record to sign him permanently.

In addition, Cisse had expressed his desire to stay at Sunderland. He would go on to score eleven goals across all competitions. But even though Keane had left the team months previously, he came back to Marseille in the summer.

Pascal Chimbonda, meanwhile, left Tottenham that summer to join Sunderland.

Just five months after joining the Black Cats, the defender made 16 appearances and recorded three clean sheets.