Miller to fight for place

Miller: Still on transfer list

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Liam Miller has insisted he is eager to stay at Sunderland despite still being on the club's transfer list.

Miller was told he could leave the Stadium of Light after his failure to arrive on time for training frustrated Roy Keane.

The Black Cats boss has stood by his decision but Miller returned to the side for the last four games of the season and is now ready to fight for his place.

"I left Sunderland at the end of the season and things haven't changed. I'm still on the transfer list," the midfielder told the Hartlepool Mail.

"But I've got another year left on my contract and I'll go back for pre-season and fight for a place. Definitely.

"Last season I got my head down and worked really hard and I got back into the team. But the main thing was we stayed up and now we have a chance to build.

"I want to stay at Sunderland, of course I do."

Self-belief

Miller is currently away on international duty with Republic of Ireland and he is hoping to feature more under new manager Giovanni Trapattoni than he has done in the past.

He played against Serbia at the weekend and believes another good display against Colombia on Thursday will help to convince his club bosses that he has a lot to offer.

"I haven't spoken to Roy Keane about it, I've just kept my head down and worked really hard," he explained.

"I got back into the team, which I was pleased with. But we'll just have to wait and see.

"I'm enjoying my time with the national team and the new manager. He's trying to instil self-belief in everyone.

"In the past, we didn't qualify simply because we're not good enough. He's here to change that."