Reid hails feel-good factor at Black Cats
Aug 26 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal
REVITALISED Andy Reid believes that the feel-good factor has returned to Sunderland – and he wants to be part of it on a regular basis.
The newly slim-line midfielder has paid tribute to new boss Steve Bruce for bringing direction and focus after the dreadful inconsistency of last season and reckons the Black Cats have their “strongest squad” since he joined the club.
Now he is aiming to return to the Premier League starting XI after a stirring Carling Cup display on Monday. Reid notched two goals and impressed with his all-round contribution, showing that he has benefited from a gruelling summer fitness programme that has helped him shift nine kilos and around 22mm of body fat.
“It’s been really enjoyable working under Steve (Bruce) this season. We’ve got off to a good start, so there’s a bit of a feel-good factor around the club, and long may it continue,” he said.
“I feel that we’ve got a bit of direction that we’ve maybe lacked since I came to the club. I feel that maybe we have that now and hopefully it will continue.
“I think I’ll have given the manager something to think about. Hopefully, I’ve given him a problem. It’s a good problem, and a problem he’ll want to have, but I think there are maybe four or five players who went out on Monday night and performed brilliantly. As long as we keep doing that, the manager will be hard pressed to leave us out.
“I think the current squad is the strongest that I’ve seen during my time at Sunderland. We have a big squad now. If you compare the team that played on Saturday to the team that played on Monday, it was very different. But if you look at the quality and professionalism that was on
display at Norwich, it can only bode well for the club.”
Reid was delighted to bag a brace at Carrow Road but says he will not be satisfied if he is relegated to League Cup action alone this season.
Before Monday night’s man of the match performance, Reid had made just a single appearance in competitive action – as a substitute against Chelsea.
