Lamine Kone could have a Sunderland future after all, having won praise from manager Chris Coleman for his “respectful” behaviour on his return to action.
When it was announced in November that the centre-back would be out for eight to ten weeks with a knee injury, it looked as though the central defender might have made his final first-team appearance for the Black Cats.
With Sunderland in need of funds to ease their massive debts and Kone having asked to leave, it would be better for all parties were that the case.
But with no takers as yet for a player the Wearsiders could not move on in the summer, either, Kone’s attitude with the under-23s this week has raised the possibility his club could again make use of him.
The 28-year-old played for an hour of Tuesday’s International Cup win over Leicester City, where he made a point of helping his young team-mates on and off the pitch.
Lamine Kone (Image: Sunderland AFC)
“That’s how you behave and that’s how you act,” Coleman said in an interview with the club’s official website.
“All right, we know Lamine probably sees his future somewhere else but what I’ve said all the way along is that I can understand that.”
Kone asked to leave when Sunderland were relegated from the Premier League but the club received no offers for him. Everton were linked with a January move but Sam Allardyce , for whom he played his best football on Wearside.
When asked about the possibility before Christmas, Allardyce replied: “Since then I’m not quite sure what’s happened to his career.
“It’s obviously slipped way down from where he was when he performed with me so that puts a doubt about his ability to sustain that level of performance.”
Everton manager Sam Allardyce (Image: Liverpool Echo)
Coleman talking so positively about the way Kone has conducting himself both raises the prospect of finding a buyers and offers encouragement should he stay.
The manager has made great play of wanting players with the right attitude for Sunderland’s relegation battle, and has said that he will use his wantaway players if they show the right attitude.
“As long as when players are with us they are respectful and they behave accordingly, and if they wear the jersey and want to do their best while they are here, then I haven’t got a problem with that,” said Coleman.
“Of course, we’ve seen that with Lamine and he’s trained very hard, and like said you said it’s nice to see a senior professional behaving in that manner because the younger players are always looking to see how it should be done – and having that type of respect is exactly how it’s done.
Sunderland manager Chris Coleman (Image: Sunderland AFC)
“He came through the game with no problems at all, so he’s coming along nicely.”
He has warned the Ivorian he faces a fight for his place, but having talked about the need for one more centre-back, Kone could be it.
“You have to work and fight for your place, and if they keep on doing what they’re doing it’s hard for anyone to get back into it, and that – fighting for places in the team – is what I want,” he said.
“I want people knocking on my door asking, ‘What can I do and why aren’t I playing?’ and the more of that the better for us.”
For all Kone’s quality, it would be better were he and Didier Ndong to move on this month. They are worth enough to bring in Championship-quality replacements and have enough left over to strengthen other areas and/or pay down the club’s debts.