SUNDERLAND are offering new contracts to Jeff Whitley and John Oster - despite their play-off shoot-out howlers.

Oster hit a post and Whitley performed an ill-advised John Aldridge-style shuffle before his penalty was saved by Nico Vaesen in the Black Cats' disastrous semi-final defeat by Crystal Palace.

But the midfield pair, together with shoot-out scorer Tommy Smith, are in line for one-year deals.

The Black Cats yesterday confirmed that club captain Jason McAteer and centre-backs Joachim Bjorklund and Phil Babb are among eight players being released.

Manager Mick McCarthy has also told Paul Thirlwell, Michael Reddy, Mark Rossiter, Simon Ramsden and Patrick Collins that they do not figure in his plans.

But McCarthy has had talks with Whitley, Oster, Smith, Darren Byfield, Richie Ryan and Neil Teggart about renewing their contracts.

Sunderland chairman Bob Murray said: "A number of players are out of contract. Mick has taken decisions and there will be more changes to come, so that we can mount a challenge to achieve Premiership status by the end of next season.

"The number of players who are out of contract gives Mick the opportunity to determine the squad that starts pre-season training, unlike last year when he inherited a very difficult situation with a big squad - many of whom were to leave - which he managed amazingly.

"The club is spurred on by the achievements of Mick and the players in reaching the FA Cup semi-final and third place in Division One, and it is up to the board and everyone at the club to do their utmost to ensure that next season is successful."

McCarthy, meanwhile, has admitted that midfielder Colin Healy is unlikely to be fit for the start of the club's pre-season programme in early July.

Healy made 20 appearances in the first half of last season after joining the Black Cats from Celtic in mid-August.

But the 23-year-old's season was cut short when he broke his lower leg following a sickening clash with Coventry's Youseff Safri during December's 1-1 draw at Highfield Road.

Healy's creativity was sorely missed in the latter half of the campaign, and McCarthy had hoped to have the Republic of Ireland international firing on all cylinders by the time the new First Division season gets underway in two and a half months' time.

But the chances of that happening are looking increasingly slim, with Healy set to miss the opening stages of Sunderland's pre-season programme.

"I'd really hoped that he was going to be back for pre-season, but I'm not as confident about that now," said McCarthy, who recently reaffirmed his commitment to the managerial hotseat at the Stadium of Light.

"It's just one of those things. Some people heal quicker than others and they'll come back and be a bit further on in their rehab.

"He's worked so hard and he looks a different bloke at the minute. He's working like a beast in the gym and the size of him is incredible.

"But it's going to be a gradual thing and, one week, he'll feel a lot better and he'll be able to start running. He'll progress from there and we're hoping it's going to be the start of the season."

Healy was forced to watch from afar as the Black Cats missed out on an instant return to the Premiership by the narrowest of margins.

The playmaker was only just settling into his new role on Wearside when his injury occurred and, unsurprisingly, he has found it hard to come to terms with such a protracted spell on the sidelines.

"He's keeping his spirits up as best he can," said McCarthy. "But he wants to play. It was a terrible injury at the time and it's soul-destroying for him.

"He doesn't want to be involved in things and that's understandable. It's very hard for him - as it is for all of them that have been like that."

Sunderland had more than their fair share of serious injuries last season with Matt Piper suffering a succession of major knee problems and Paul Thirlwell fracturing his skull last month.

Neither midfielder featured in the play-off double header with Crystal Palace and, with Julio Arca and Wright also being sidelined for those games, McCarthy's side was depleted at the worst possible time.

"We've had our problems this season," admitted the Black Cats boss. "We've had a lot of bad injuries and some of them have cost us. Wrighty and Julio were big blows because of the timing of when their injuries occurred."

l Former Sunderland manager Howard Wilkinson has parted company with Chinese champions Shanghai Shenhua, just days after the new season kicked-off.

Wilkinson has returned to England for personal reasons