Kev's on the Ball

Kevin Ball has stated it is an honour for him to be managing Sunderland and has dreamt of doing so for a long time.

He told Sky Sports News: 'I think it is something, when I was a player, that I said I always had ambitions to manage Sunderland.

'It has now come earlier than I anticipated, but what I am looking to over the next 10 weeks or so is to enjoy the role.

'All I'm going to do is prepare the team for each game and try to play a part between now and the end of the season.'

With 10 games to go, and with Sunderland having won only 2 games all season, it is feasible that Ball could do enough to earn the job permanently.

Already acting the part of manager, he refused to comment on the possibility of his players leaving the club, admitting that it was too early to speculate when asked if stories linking Arca to Spurs and Newcastle were true:

'To be honest that is too far ahead for me to answer.

'My aim is that I've got to make sure Julio is in the right frame of mind for Saturday's game. What may happen in the future only Julio can decide.'

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