On This Day (18 July 2014) New goalkeeper sets sights on starting berth!

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Sunderland had had a good run with goalkeepers towards the end of the 2000s and in the early 2010s, with Craig Gordon, Marton Fulop and Simon Mignolet all doing sterling service between the sticks.

After Mignolet’s transfer to Liverpool, the club were looking for a worthy replacement, and in the Di Canio / Di Fanti summer we landed Vito Mannone from Arsenal. Mannone did pretty well, including pulling off some penalty heroics in the League Cup semi at Old Trafford, but the following year, Sunderland

– now under the stewardship of Gus Poyet – were in the market for another keeper.

Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images

And, that man was a giant Romanian, going by the name of Costel Pantilimon.

Standing at 6’ 7”, Pantilimon, who was born of two deaf parents, had been at Manchester City for three years, but had managed just seven Premier League games for the club, although he did have a League Cup winners medal, having been in net for City against us in that final just a few months earlier.

The form of England’s Joe Hart was the primary reason why Pantilimon had spent so much time on the sidelines, and with international aspirations of his own, he felt he needed to leave the Etihad Stadium, and on this day in 2014 he was speaking about the move.

After speaking with the manager here I know it will be the same for the keepers as it is for all of the other players. It is a competition now. The one who is doing well is going to be in the team. It’s normal that it’s like this.

There should be fair competition for everyone and for whoever is working hard should be the one in the team. It’s important to do what I can to help the team.

Mannone had been given a new contract on the day Pantilimon was announced, but the Romanian had his sights firmly fixed on the first team.

There were many reasons why I left. It wasn’t just when I lost my place to Joe Hart last season. I think the big one was the manager and the staff, they knew about my situation and they knew I was a keeper who needs to play.

We talked about this and it was a good decision for everyone. I want to thank them for everything and they helped me a lot. They offered me a chance to win trophies. Now I am only thinking about Sunderland and I hope to enjoy my time here.

I needed to play more. It’s normal to think this way. I hope I can show more of what I can do. It is important for me and for everyone. I think it was a good decision to come here.

Pantilimon had been busy house hunting as well as working with his new team mates in training, and said first impressions had been positive.

I like being here because it is a great city. I hope to enjoy my time here. It was fun at Manchester City. It was a nice period for me there and we won a lot of trophies. It was nice to be there. But from the moment I came here, I saw it as a good move. It’s important to be happy. I am sure I will be happy at Sunderland.

I wanted to move here to play first team football. I am young and I want to regain my spot as number one in the national team. I was working hard at City and I tried to do my best and I will do the same. I am sure there will be big competition here. Vito is a good keeper. It’s important for me to work hard and to be ambitious.

Pantilimon was just one new arrival at the club, with Poyet also landing Billy Jones and Jordi Gomez.

Two other moves were being rumoured too – American defender Matt Besler and Atletico Madrid’s Cristian Rodriguez, who is keen to play in the Premier League.

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