Cats keeper targets Potters pay-back

Oct 28 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

MÁRTON Fülöp has admitted he will relish the chance to face Stoke City tomorrow night after the newly-promoted Premier League club controversially cancelled his move to the Britannia Stadium in the summer.

Fülöp was drafted into the side which beat Newcastle United 2-1 in the Wear-Tyne derby last weekend as first-choice goalkeeper Craig Gordon picked up an ankle injury in training.

The Scotland international may well return in time for the trip to the Potteries tomorrow night, but Fülöp is hoping he gets the opportunity to make Stoke pay for their shoddy treatment.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis agreed a fee for the Hungarian in August, only to pull the plug on the deal so that he could sign former Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sørensen from Aston Villa instead.

That led to some stinging criticism from Black Cats boss Roy Keane who indicated he would be reluctant to deal with Stoke again because of the way they had messed Fülöp around. “There will be an extra edge for me if I play against Stoke,” said Fülöp, whose appearance against the Magpies was only his second Premier League start for the Black Cats. “If that happens it will be great for me.

“We were very close to me joining Stoke. The clubs agreed a fee, but things change and that’s why it didn’t happen. I was frustrated when it didn’t come off.

“I just have to think about myself. Whether Craig’s injury will be okay, I don’t know. I will focus to play on the game and hopefully we can get another good result away as well.

“You have to think game by game, you have to perform well, and I hope I can show everybody I’m capable of playing for Sunderland.

“I think it was touch-and-go, to be honest, if Craig played against Newcastle. It was his ankle. I don’t know if he will be fit for Wednesday. He told me he can’t put his body weight on the injured ankle.”

At 25, Fülöp knows he needs to be playing regular first-team football, but he has had to bide his time at Sunderland and that frustration prompted him to look for a new club in the summer.

He said: “Obviously he brought Craig in to be number one, but I just want to give him a little bit of a headache with my displays. You always try to play first-team football, especially with the national team in my mind.

“It’s very hard to get into the (Hungary) side but in the last two weeks I played two games for the national team because the other goalkeeper was injured. I kept two clean sheets so I have a very good chance of playing again.”

If Gordon recovers, Fülöp realises he is likely to have to move straight back down to the bench, but if he plays the former Tottenham stopper expects Sunderland to approach the Stoke game with the same intensity they showed in the derby win.

He added: “We have to prepare against Stoke as we prepared against Newcastle because in this league they don’t give anything for free. If we are to get a good result we need to prepare for every game as if it’s a cup final because the Premier League is the biggest league in the world. A lot of times it is mental toughness which decides who wins the game.

“To be honest I like Stoke’s style of play to play against. I really like to come for crosses and Stoke are good opponents to play against as a goalkeeper.

“They beat Tottenham and Aston Villa and at home it is like a lion’s den. They make it very hard. Their fans are very good as well. It’s a matter of our preparation.”

And, whatever happens in the future, Fülöp insisted he will always cherish the memory of playing in Sunderland’s first home win over Newcastle in 28 years.

He said: “I couldn’t have hoped for a better return to the team than a Wear-Tyne derby, one of the most famous derbies in England. I think the atmosphere is the best, to be honest, and on the pitch you couldn’t hear what you were communicating to your team-mates because the noise was unbelievable.

“I feel privileged. I was waiting for my chance, I was always professional and you get your rewards.”