SAFC 10 YEARS AGO: Quinn steps up signing search, Murphy's disappointment

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2006

DOUBLE TARGET: Sunderland boss Niall Quinn will step up his efforts to bring in new players ahead of Wednesday’s game against Birmingham City at the Stadium of Light.

And he hopes to have two new signings at the club in the next 48 hours as he bids to change the losing culture which seeped into the club’s bones last season.

At Coventry City yesterday, the Irishman saw for himself just how fragile the current squad’s confidence is having worked hard to get themselves into the lead but then allowing hemselves to slip to a 2-1 defeat in the final 20 minutes.

MURPHY’S FLAW: Goalscorer Daryl Murphy says his joy at getting his season off to a flier yesterday was tempered by the bitter disappointment of defat at Coventry.

Murphy grabbed a 53rd-minute opener, but just as it looked like Niall Quinn’s magic carpet ride was about to take off, Stern John equalised in the 71st minute and Gary McSheffrey netted seven minutes later.

A dejected Murphy said: I felt once I had scored that we would go on to win, so it was very disappointing to see the game turn around like that.”

TOMORROW: Clarke in, McCartney out. No deal for Stokes but Riera to sign.