O’Shea set to make Reading switch
FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED DEFENDER ENDING SEVEN-YEAR STINT ON WEARSIDE
John O’Shea is to end his seven-year Sunderland spell and join Reading on a free transfer, the Echo understands.
The 37-year-old will sign a one-year deal at Championship side Reading, with the option of joining Paul Clement’s coaching staff when he does decide to hang up his boots.
O’Shea’s Sunderland contract expires at the end of June.
He has been a mainstay of Sunderland’s defence for seven seasons and made 40 appearances last season.
O’Shea, who retired from international football with the Republic of Ireland at the weekend, had made it clear he wanted to keep playing club football for another season.
But the former Manchester United defender admitted last week that he hadn’t had any contact from Sunderland’s new owners following Stewart Donald’s takeover.
O’Shea, who suffered back-to-back relegations in his final two seasons on Wearside, had previously said he wanted to remain at Sunderland but will sign for Reading and be reunited with ex-Sunderland teammate Vito Mannone.
The defender hopes to move into coaching and/or management when he retires.
O’Shea insisted there was “no sadness” about his Republic of Ireland farewell as he earned his 118th cap in the 2-1 win over the USA.
O’Shea, who was subbed shortly after the half hour mark, cryptically explained his early departure: “I planned it a while ago with the manager to come off that bit earlier because the season ended a few weeks ago for me and I might have a couple of things coming up in the next week or two, too, so I had to be a little bit careful.”
Three other senior Sunderland players will be out of contract this summer; Billy Jones, Marc Wilson and Kazenga LuaLua.
Ahead of the League One campaign, Sunderland’s squad will undergo a major overhaul under new owner Donald and manager Jack Ross.
Graham Burke, meanwhile, was lost for words after marking his first start for the Republic with his first senior international goal.
The 24-year-old Shamrock Rovers striker passed a series of landmarks in Saturday’s friendly.
He became the first League of Ireland player to start for the nation since Joe Gamble in 2007, and the first to score since fellow Rover Ray Treacy in 1978, and that took some processing.
Burke said: “It’s been a brilliant night for me. To start a senior game for the Republic of Ireland is an unbelievable achievement for me. To top it off with a goal, I can’t really put it into words what it means to me.
“It’s an unbelievable achievement that will stay with me forever.”
Burke, who made his debut as a substitute against France in Paris last Monday, was left out of the Rovers side which faced Dundalk on Friday night and only learned he was starting an hour before kick-off.
Burke’s strike cancelled out Bobby Wood’s opener and set the scene for substitute Alan Judge to fire Ireland to a 2-1 win at the end.