Vinnie steeled by return to the Cats, while ex-boss reveals job offer

Sunderland winger Vinnie Steels admits he has unfinished business on Wearside following his return to the club.

The 19-year-old, who signed for the Under-23 setup last week, was part of the Black Cats’ academy as a youngster before moving on to Darlington, York City and then Premier League Burnley.

Reflecting on his return to the Academy of Light, Steels said: “It’s obviously a lot different from when I was here at Under-14.

“There’s a lot of coaches I remember from the first time round like Elliott Dickman, Scott Pearce and Lewis Dickman, so it’s been really good to catch up with them.

“I really enjoyed my time here when I was younger, and I think I have unfinished business.

“Playing at York City was a big learning curve for me and an experience that will benefit me in the long run, as I learned the physical side of the game.”

Meanwhile, ex-Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has revealed he turned down an approach from Kilmarnock last summer to focus on a concrete job offer which fell through.

Now Poyet is eager to return to management in England

after two years out of the game.

Poyet told the DW Podcast: "I had a very, very small and honest approach from Kilmarnock last year when (Steve) Clarke went to the national team. "It was not the right time. "They were very honest, very polite.

"Because of connections through a player, they just asked me if I would be interested. "But at that time I was negotiating with a team.

"You know when you think, I am the next manager of this team, we are getting to the details and then one day they disappear, and you think 'What happened?'.

"At that time when I talked to Kilmarnock, I said, ‘from the bottom of my heart thank you very much’.

"I would love to have an experience in Scotland but I said ‘right now I am in the middle of something that is going to happen’.

"And then it didn't happen and it was embarrassing.

"Because they were probably saying, 'hello, what was that big, important thing?'.

"I cannot tell you but it was tough.

"Something happened in the middle, I don't know what, and ‘boom!’."