Keane intends to bolster his injury-hit squad

9:12am Monday 21st January 2008

MANAGER Roy Keane hopes to step up his recruitment drive this week after seeing his squad hit by yet more injuries prior to Sunderland's trip to Tottenham.

In-form Kieran Richardson was the latest of a long line of casualties to have hit the Black Cats' ambitions this term. The England international has missed a large majority of the season with a back problem, but this time he has been ruled out for up to three weeks with a hamstring complaint.

And after witnessing Richardson's inspirational performance in the victory over Portsmouth last week, it goes without saying, his absence is a blow to the Wearsider's chances of survival.

"It was disappointing for us as Kieran was just getting his match sharpness back, which we saw last week after his back injury,"

said Keane. "But it seems one step back and one forward at the moment whether it is results or injuries. We're missing Grant Leadbitter for two to three weeks with a broken toe, Danny Higginbotham is out for four to six weeks but that is the challenge we face.

"Of course, Kieran is one of our more quality players but I felt the players that came in did a good job. But a player like Kieran, and Kenwyne Jones and even Carlos Edwards, we miss that quality without a doubt. We'll persevere. Perseverance is possibly the biggest word you can use in football. You get setbacks and the result was a disappointment but life goes on and makes the next game even bigger."

Keane says he is still hopeful of bringing in new recruits before the curtain draws on the transfer window, but he made it known he has not been frustrated by the lack of activity so far.

"I've said from day one we probably need one or two more defenders and maybe another striker," said the Black Cats boss.

"But we need strengthening all over. We're working hard to bring one or two in to help us out but that hasn't really changed because we've had more injuries.

"We have a few targets where we're working hard and in the ideal world you would like them in the first week of January, but I'm quite relaxed about that because I have no real control over it. We'll persevere and try and do some deals but I can only get frustrated over the players I do have (not the ones I don't).

"We've shown some glimpses, and we have some very good players, so if the few targets come off in the next few weeks, fantastic.

But what will happen in the next two weeks will not make or break Sunderland.

"I think this club has been run since, I think, 1879, so we'll be fine whoever comes in.

"The results aren't going great for us but I feel as if we are going in the right direction. If nobody comes to the club then I'll get on with it.

"We have some good young players like Martyn Waghorn who we have had to chuck in but I'll not lose any sleep about it.

And if you believe that you'll believe anything!"

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