Stoke City battled back from a goal down to clinch a win over Aston Villa at the Britannia Stadium. Potters boss Tony Pulis showed amazing character to attend the match after the sudden death of his mother earlier on Monday night and his players did him proud with a fantastic second half comeback.
Stewart Downing had put Villa ahead with a diving header in the first half but goals from Kenwyne Jones and then Robert Huth in injury time secured the first win of the season for the home side.
Steve Bruce’s men impressed during their victory over Tony Mowbray’s side at Parkhead taking a two goal lead through Kieran Richardson and Kenwyne Jones before Marc Crosas scored a late consolation goal for the home side.
Tottenham hope to rekindle a bid for Stewart Downing at the end of the season, which would be aided if Boro are relegated.
Spurs are also likely to return to Sunderland with a bid for Kenwyne Jones. Harry Redknapp hopes the Black Cats’ Premier League survival will now mean they are more open to selling than they were in January. (Inthenews.co.uk)
The Stewart Downing saga has been once again reignited with a £15 million transfer to Spurs from Middlesbrough looking all but certain in the summer, with Sunderland apparently willing to dispense with Kenwyne Jones after rejecting the same price from chairman Daniel Levy. (eurosport.yahoo)
It’s not the first time these two have appeared on the Spurs rumour radar and as we draw towards the end of the season these will no doubt be joined by another 10-20 other names as potential signings. I don’t see that either of these two offer anything to the White Hart Lane outfit. Downing is good on his day but nothing special and sure as hell not worth the amount Gareth Southgate appears to want for the wideman and as for Kenwyne Jones i have to say i find him to be very overrated and not exactly prolific. Why would Harry want yet another striker? Do any Tottenham fans like the idea of signing either of these Premier League men?
Kenwyne Jones may have only scored eight goals for the Black Cats last season, yet he was worth his weight in gold when it came to unsettling opposition defences and holding the ball up. Indeed, many have referred to the Sunderland forward as ‘the new Drogba’ which may be a touch premature and is also slightly offensive in that Jones doesn’t appear to have an attitude problem or link his future away from the Stadium of Light every other day. [Read the rest of this entry »]
If you see the likes of Kenwyne Jones and Craig Gordon lining up to do the haka before next season’s derby with Newcastle United, there will be an explanation for it. The Australian Daily Telegraph reports that Sunderland manager Roy Keane is going to be hooking up with the New Zealand rugby union team over the summer in an attempt to learn some motivational techniques to bestow upon his players back home. What’s the betting that the All Blacks don’t also learn a thing or two from the Irish firebrand?
“I have the green light to have three or four days with them,” he said.
“I don’t know if I will be allowed into any team talks. I’ll keep my head down and just watch them, try to plug into what they are always about.”
Keane said he had always been fascinated by the All Blacks’ pre-match haka.
“If the haka didn’t inspire you before a game, what could?”
Keane has certainly mellowed out since his playing days at Manchester United, although he’s not averse to leaving players behind if they’ve been late for the coach, or dropping players from the squad if they’ve not shown a satisfactory attitude. It seems to have done the trick, with Sunderland pulling away from the drop zone after three consecutive wins in the league, will they now kick on and become the number one club in the north-east?
23-year-old Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones sounds like a modest and grounded player which is as much of a rarity as his striking skills. Apparent;y the Trinidad & Tobago striker is ready to play through the injury barrier to ensure his club’s safety, Jones said:
“I have been playing through a bit of an injury but I am fine.
“We all have to do it and everyone has to pull their weight.”
When the conversation turned to the praise that manager Roy Keane has been drizzling all over him Jones said:
“I am happy to hear that the manager has such confidence in me.
“But I don’t tap into that stuff. I just put my head down and do what I have to do.
“If you start buying into all that you get sidetracked and lose your way.
“You want to be at a place where you are wanted. No one wants to get slagged off and I am happy I am liked.
“But I still have lots to do to be comfortable and earn that praise.”
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