Championship news: Sunderland friendly plans, injury update plus Ireland boss names coaching team

Sunderland travel to Norwich City this weekend in the Championship - aiming to get their play-off push back on track. Here are the latest headlines from the Sunderland camp.

Sunderland injury news

Mike Dodds is hopeful that Corry Evans, Bradley Dack and Aji Alese will soon be back in action for Sunderland, but has warned that none of the trio will be back for this crucial run of three fixtures. Club captain Corry Evans is back in full training after more than a year on the sidelines with an ACL injury, but is set to play two U21s fixtures before a return to Championship action is considered. As such, he is not likely to be in contention before the international break in March.

Alese and Dack, meanwhile, have been training with their first team colleagues but are still a little way off being in contention for selection.

Sunderland pre-season training plans

Sunderland are to head to Spain this summer for their pre-season training camp, it has been confirmed. The Black Cats will head to the Costa Blanca on Monday 15 July and spend one week in Alicante and play two friendly games while over there.

Sunderland, who travel to Norwich City in the Championship this weekend, are aiming to finish the season strongly and sneak a play-off spot under interim head coach Mike Dodds though that is currently an uphill task given current form. Plans are already in place for when the new manager takes charge in the summer with details of their training camp now released. 

Former Sunderland defender names Ireland coaching team

Interim Republic of Ireland manager John O’Shea has appointed former national team boss Brian Kerr and international team-mate Glenn Whelan to his coaching team.

Ex-Sunderland defender O’Shea, who has been placed in temporary charge for March’s friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland, has asked Kerr, who managed Ireland between 2003 and 2005, to serve as technical director to himself and assistant Paddy McCarthy. Whelan, who won 91 caps for his country, many of them alongside the former Manchester United defender, has been drafted in as an assistant coach.

O’Shea said: “Brian brings with him a wealth of experience we’ll be able to tap into during the camp, and his passion for Irish football and the Ireland national team is well known and will be a welcome addition to the group.

“Glenn was an unbelievable servant for his country during his distinguished playing career and we’ll be delighted to welcome him back into the international fold as a coach having recently spent time with the under-16s during the Victory Shield.”