Reid hails feel-good factor at Black Cats

Aug 26 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

Bruce’s preference has been to play Kieran Richardson on the left of midfield but Reid has certainly played himself into contention after arguably his finest performance in a red and white shirt since his first season under Roy Keane.

“With the greatest of respect to Norwich, and the greatest of respect to the Carling Cup, I don’t want to be playing in Carling Cup games. I want to be playing in the Premier League games on a Saturday afternoon,” said Reid.

“But you can only perform on the platform you are given. The platform on Monday was in the Carling Cup against Norwich, and I feel that I delivered and showed the manager what I can do.

“It’s up to the manager to pick his team. I’m not going to do the manager’s job and tell him what to do, and I’m sure he wouldn’t listen even if I tried. All I can say is that I want to play in every game, I don’t care who it’s against. I don’t care if it against Norwich, Blackburn, Stoke, Liverpool or Manchester United.

“It doesn’t really matter to me. I know the qualities that I have and I believe I can go on and perform against anybody.”

Meanwhile, Craig Gordon is in line for a return to Premier League duty at Stoke on Saturday – a few days after being recalled to the Scotland squad.

He made an impressive return to action at Carrow Road, pulling off two excellent saves in the first half and coming through the match unscathed after four months out of action.

“There were no problems and it was good to get back with a good result,” he said.

STOKE manager Tony Pulis is determined to freshen up his squad before the transfer window closes.

A striker could be a priority given that James Beattie suffered a knee injury at the weekend and will sit out the Carling Cup match against Leyton Orient tonight.

Pulis is already in the process of trying to reorganise his backroom staff with former Sunderland manager Peter Reid earmarked to become his right-hand man.

Reid has contradicted reports from the Football Association of Thailand and indicated he is about to join Stoke.

He was in the stands on Saturday at Birmingham as Stoke drew 0-0 and added: “It will be great to be back in English football and at the top level. I cannot wait to work with a true football man like Tony.”