This could be my last chance, admits Halford

Oct 19 2007 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

GREG Halford admits he could be facing his “last chance” to make the grade as a Sunderland player on Sunday after the crisis of confidence which has prevented him establishing himself as a Premier League footballer.

The 22-year-old is expected to play only his second game for the Black Cats since being sent off in August’s humiliating League Cup defeat by Luton Town when the Wearsiders travel to West Ham United on Sunday. With Paul McShane suspended for the matches against the Hammers, Fulham and Manchester City, the right-back knows he will need to put in three good performances to prevent his career going the way of his short-lived spell at Reading.

The versatile Halford made just three appearances for the Royals after joining in a £2.5m move from Colchester United in January. Steve Coppell quickly moved the player on this summer, albeit for a £500,000 profit, and it has seemed a shrewd move, with the former England Under-20 international looking out of his depth in his five matches to date for Sunderland.

Halford is not hiding from the fact he has failed to make the anticipated impact on Wearside, and suspects Roy Keane’s patience could soon run out.

“If I’m given a chance I’ve got to grab it with both hands, it could be my last chance,” he admitted.

Such has been Halford’s fall from grace that Keane has played centre-back McShane out of position in four of the last five games since the Luton debacle, but the Irishman’s sending-off against Arsenal is expected to give the Chelmsford-born defender a reprieve. Halford is the only senior right-back available to Keane, with Stephen Wright on loan at Stoke City.

Halford identified a lack of self-belief as the reason behind his failure to make an impact at the Madejski Stadium but feels he is starting to regain it after his recent performances for the Black Cats reserves. “I lacked a bit of confidence when I came here after my experience with Reading but that is in the past,” he told his new club’s official website. “I feel I’m beginning to find my old form.

“I’m at a bigger club and there is more expectation but I’m feeling a lot better now and I want to be more positive. Confidence is a big thing, it’s a major part of football and maybe I lacked a bit. But I feel much better and there is a lot more to come from me.”

Despite having found the gap between the Football League and Premier League difficult to bridge, Halford believes there are plenty of players he can take inspiration from, including former Sunderland striker Jon Stead.

“There’s been a lot of signings from the lower leagues going into established Premiership teams,” he argued. “The first one that comes to mind is Stead going straight into the Blackburn team (from Huddersfield Town in early 2004). His goals alone kept Blackburn in the Premiership that season.”

At Reading, Halford played alongside former Black Cats winger John Oster and he revealed the Welshman encouraged him to move to the Stadium of Light. “I spoke to Oster before I came up but it was pretty much a done deal before I even spoke to him,” he said. “I knew I was going to come up here but he confirmed what I was thinking.

“I firmly believe we have a better team than Reading did last season. To be signed by Roy Keane is a massive compliment. He was the main reason why I came and signed for Sunderland.”