Moyes relishes EPL return
Walker finds way to first major triumph
SUNDERLAND boss David Moyes insists he has been revitalised by his spell out of management as he looks to bring stability to the Stadium of Light.
Moyes had been out of work for eight months after being sacked by Real Sociedad last November, but the former Manchester United and Everton manager feels reinvigorated after returning to the Premier League.
The 53-year-old Scot was hired last month to replace Sam Allardyce, who left Sunderland to take the England job, and yesterday he held his first press conference in his new role.
Moyes’ reputation was tarnished by his nightmare spell at Old Trafford, which ended with his sacking after less than a season in charge of United, and his underwhelming spell in Spain.
But he is adamant his sabbatical has helped give him a fresh outlook and more insight into the keys to success at a club who have narrowly avoided relegation for the last two seasons.
“It was great to play golf and spend time with my family but this is what I do and I want to get back and get on with it,” Moyes said.
“I think modern management means that more managers will take breaks in their career with the way it is.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve been away from the game, I watched as much football as I could.
“I’ve been to watch training from other sides of the world and I’ve been involved with Uefa a lot, whether it’s watching the Euros or whether it’s been taking the Pro Licence coaches. I’ve been out but I’ve been busy.
“This has now got to be a building job. I’m here for four years and I want to bring a level of stability back to the club.”
Moyes remained tight-lipped on transfer rumours, which have included reports linking him with possible moves for Adnan Januzaj and Marouane Fellaini, who both played under him at United.
“If any of those good players want to join me I’d be happy to have them,” he said.
“They’re excellent players. We’re interested but I’m sure there’s a load of other clubs that are as well.
“You have to have a realistic view. There’ll be some players we can attract just now and some players we can’t.
“We have offers in for people already JIMMY WALKER said winning the PGA Championship on Sunday for his first career major was a matter of trust, both in himself and in his game. The 37-year-old Texan showed he had what it takes by holding up over 36 holes over the sopping wet Baltusrol course on the final day for a one-shot win over world No 1 and defending champion Jason Day. “I felt confident. I felt confident in myself. I felt confident in what I was doing. Felt confident in my golf swing, my putting, my chipping,” said Walker, who had missed four cuts from his last eight events but found something “clicked” over the last nine holes of last week’s Canadian Open. “Kind of tried to wrap myself around that; that everything was feeling good, and to go with that and trust what I was doing. Trust all the stuff that I have been working on, and that’s what I tried to apply out there.” It was an arduous day on the water-logged Baltusrol, as Walker and the leaders came in early Sunday morning to play all 18 holes of the third round before a three-hour break ahead of their tee times for the final round. “It was a test today, it really was,” said Walker. “It’s tough walking, soft and wet and nasty, and it just kind of wears on you. “It was nice to have the long break in between the rounds. I got to go back to my bus. I took a hot shower. I got rubbed down. and we’re working hard.” —
SuperSport
“Went back. Too Took a shower, relaxed, laid on the couch. Kind of fell asleep for a little bit. It was great. I think it’s exactly whatwh I needed to do.”
Walker ran off ninen pars in a row on the front nine of the final round but had Day and British Open champion Henrik Stenson breathing down his neck, one shot back at theth turn.
The American, a five-time PGA Tour winner, holed out from a greensi greenside bunker to birdie the 10th and rolled in a 30-footer30-foote for birdie at 11 to lead by two. A birdie at 17 gave himhi a three-shot lead. The biggest test a awaited on the par-five 18th. Australian Day madem eagle to cut Walker’s threeshot shot lead to one, requiring him to make par for victory.
“When he holed out for eagle on the last hole ... it was still game time time,” said Walker, who saw the eagle from back in the fairwayfa as he waited to hit.
Walker said he and his long time caddie Andy Sanders, who he m met at Baltusrol when both were playing in the 200 2000 US Amateur, decided to go for the green as dictateddictate by the distance and the good lie.
“I was standing o out there on the fairway and we just said, ‘let’s go for it.’ I figured, 19 times out of 20, you’re going to make a fivefi going for the green from right there,” Walker said.said
“I literally hit it ini the worst place you could hit it,” he said about the sh shot that landed in deep rough some 30 yards right of theth pin.
But Walker poppedpopp it out of the thick grass some 35 feet beyond the cup cup. Needing two putts to win, he ran the first putt three feet past.
“Ended up havinghavin to make a little, you know, tester coming in and jus just buried it. It was awesome.” — SuperSport