Sunderland manager Chris Coleman says Deadline Day was brutal
Thursday 1 February 2018 16:23, UK
Chris Coleman has described Sunderland’s Transfer Deadline Day as “brutal”, but says he is happy with their signings.
The Black Cats added three players to their squad on Wednesday, with Ashley Fletcher from Middlesbrough, Cardiff goalkeeper Lee Camp and Liverpool youngster Ovie Ejaria all arriving on loan.
Didier Ndong left the club to join Watford on loan until the end of the season, while Jason Steele's proposed move to Derby County fell through at the last moment.
Coleman, who joined Sunderland in November after five years as Wales boss, revealed he had forgotten how difficult negotiations were.
When asked how he felt now that Deadline Day had passed, Coleman said: "Shocking. My first one for six or seven years. It was brutal so I am glad it is done.
"But it has turned out good for us. We have injected some new faces.
"I forgot what a farce it is. You can't trust anybody, you get told loads of lies and to get any deal over the line is so tough. At the last minute, the goalposts can change. It muddies the water, confuses people and then that is when the trust goes out the window.
"It was probably 15 or 16 hours where we were just hammering out to get things done.
"We got there in the end with five new faces in the window. It is not easy to do that, especially because of the financial restraints we are working under but I am happy with the business we have done."
Sunderland remain in the Championship relegation zone after losing 3-1 to fellow strugglers Birmingham on Tuesday, and Coleman believes the team's position in the table affected their ability to do business.
"[We want] players coming through the door smiling, wanting to be here. They know the situation we are in, nevertheless they are happy to be here and that is super important.
"We have had to be very careful with who we brought in.
"In one or two cases, players would have looked at where we are in the league and gone: 'that is not right for me at the moment, I don't want to walk into that situation'."
