Roy loving the battle for places

Mar 19 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

ROY Keane tried to crank up the intensity of Sunderland’s training sessions by dropping some of his more high-profile players at the weekend, but one of the beneficiaries believes the sheer sight of so many senior players on the practice pitches has already done it for him.

With only Ross Wallace, Dickson Etuhu and Darren Ward injured, competition for places ahead of Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa is as fierce as at any time under Keane’s management, allowing him to leave the likes of Kieran Richardson, Michael Chopra and Daryl Murphy out against Chelsea.

Nowhere is that more obvious than in the battle to play centre-forward, but Roy O’Donovan, who advanced his prospects more than anyone at the weekend, can only see positives.

The Irishman was arguably Sunderland’s best performer in the 1-0 defeat after returning from a torn stomach muscle, displaying form the 22-year-old attributes to the intensity at the Academy of Light.

His first start for the club as a central striker could be something of a milestone in O’Donovan’s career and he hopes that

the disappointment of defeat is equally pivotal to the Black Cats’ season.

“Training’s more intense because everyone’s fighting for one jersey,” he said. “There’s five or six strikers going for maybe one, maybe two shirts. And Kenwyne (Jones) is having such a good season he’s maybe nailed down his place, so it’s only one shirt if we’ve even played two up front.

“There’s a lot of competition but as a pro you have to enjoy that. If you’re going to play in the Premiership you’ll be fighting for your place.

“Chelsea was a big test for myself, playing against the so-called big stars. I’m glad I came though that and I enjoyed the experience, but success makes you kind of greedy and I want more. Hopefully I can get another start next Saturday.”

Having joined from League of Ireland side Cork City in August, O’Donovan believes the ferocity of training eased his transition.

“I’m the kind of person who has to train hard to get myself confident in a game, it builds during the week,” he said. “I think the gaffer is right in what he says about people having to work hard to get into the team because it’s a vital part of the season.

“My first three months, it would be fair to say, I was getting used to the intensity because it was completely different to what I’d been used to. But when I came I always had the impression I was going to make some sort of impact, and I hope to do that as the season progresses.

“I never felt I was going to come here and play in the reserves. The manager never made me any promises but I felt if I did my best in training every day I’d get a break. Thankfully that’s happened and hopefully it can continue.”

Although Sunderland were applauded off after the Chelsea match, in which they enjoyed most of the better chances, the players were in no mood for self-congratulation.

“There was genuine disappointment after the game, which is a positive thing considering it was one of the top teams in the country pushing for the title,” he argued. “It’s probably feelings of an opportunity missed having played so well.”

Meanwhile, Russell Anderson’s loan at Plymouth Argyle has been extended until the end of the season. The 29-year-old centre-back’s form during his one-month stay, which expired last Saturday, earned him a recall to Scotland’s squad to face Croatia next week.

Grant Leadbitter is one of three players from North East clubs in the England Under-21 squad for Tuesday’s friendly against Poland at Molineux. Middlesbrough’s Lee Cattermole and Adam Johnson were also named yesterday, but Newcastle United’s James Milner is injured and team-mate Steven Taylor has been “rested”.

ENGLAND UNDER-21 SQUAD: J Hart (Man City), T Heaton (Man Utd), S Dann (Coventry), D Fox (Coventry), C Gardner (A Villa), M Mancienne (QPR), J Mattock (Leicester), N Onuoha (Man City), R Shawcross (Stoke), L Cattermole (Middlesbrough), A Johnson (Middlesbrough), M Johnson (Man City), G Leadbitter (Sunderland), J O’Hara (Tottenham), A Surman (Southampton), F Campbell (Hull), M Derbyshire (Blackburn), C Jerome (Birmingham), I Miller (West Brom), L Moore (WBA).