SUNDERLAND 10 YEARS AGO: McCarthy: Feud is over, let's just get on with it

Here's what the Echo was reporting on SAFC 10 years ago today.

WARD: LET’S JUST GET ON WITH IT

Keeper won’t let Keane-Mccarthy hype spoil plan

Darren Ward reckons he and his team-mates will be thinking of nothing other than the three points when Roy Keane’s Sunderland face Mick McCarthy’s Wolves on Friday.

The Sunderland keeper is frankly amazed at the suggestion that the media circus which is bound to accompany the meeting of the two managers will in any way distract Sunderland’s footballers.

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And he says all that will be in their minds is trying to steer the Wearsiders to a victory which would put them in the top half of the Championship table for the first time this season.

He said: “I don’t mean to be rude or disrespectful in any way to either manager.

“But, in all honesty, I’m just not interested.

“As far as I can seem what happened with them happened a long time ago and has already been well documented.

“I’m just not interested in what will happen in terms of them meeting up on the night because the football game is all that is important.

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“We are going to Wolves to play another important game in our season and the only thing it’s about in my opinion is the football – that’s it.

“I won’t even be considering anything else and I’ve got absolutely no doubt that the same goes for the rest of the squad.”

The 3-1 weekend victory over Colchester lifted Sunderland three places up the table and also boosting confidence.

Confidence, that Ward and his team-mates are hoping to take into the match at Molineaux.

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He said: “It was an excellent win to get and hopefully it has got us back into a groove of good results.

“Confidence counts for a lot in football and I think it is good for all of us to get that win. The last few results before that weren’t the best but getting a win like the one we got against Colchester gives everyone a lift.

“And we just want to keep that feel good factor going.

“We know it’s not going to be easy because Wolves have been very strong at home this season.

“But when we’ve been on song we’ve managed to get some very good results on our travels and, fingers crossed Friday will prove to be another one.”

MICK: FEUD IS OVER:

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Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has insisted he will shake hands with Sunderland successor Roy Keane when the two clubs meet in an eagerly-awaited Championship clash at Molineux on Friday night.

McCarthy was manager of the Republic of Ireland when he had an infamous bust-up with Keane during the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.

Keane retired from international football and only returned once McCarthy had ended his reign as manager, eventually taking over at Sunderland.

But McCarthy claims the pair have ended their feud and that there will be no ill feeling when they come face to face on the touchline.

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McCarthy told Beacon Radio: “Four years on I was man enough to make a call to Roy Keane recently and he was gracious enough to take it.

“We both did what we thought was right at the time during the 2002 World Cup and we have made our peace with each other.

“There will be a handshake and we will get on with it.”