George McCartney given time to recover

Sep 17 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

STEVE Bruce saw his Sunderland squad get smaller still yesterday, but is adamant he will not take any undue risks with George McCartney’s return to fitness.

The number of players available to the Black Cats has been a talking point recently after the controversial sale of Danny Collins was quickly followed by McCartney’s hamstring injury. It has not stopped Bruce thinning his over-manned forward line as he attempts to offset a summer of heavy spending on quality rather than quantity.

Striker Roy O’Donovan yesterday joined League One Southend United on a month’s loan.

Sunderland may need to fall back on some members of their title-winning reserve team but Jordan Cook has become the second member of it to be consigned to a lengthy spell on the sidelines this week.

There was some good news on the injury front, with McCartney back running earlier than expected after picking up a problem on international duty with Northern Ireland less than a fortnight ago.

But Bruce was suitably impressed with Kieran Richardson’s performance in McCartney’s place on Saturday that he has told the club’s only recognised left-back not to rush back from a problem which was initially

expected to keep him out for six weeks. “George was running on Monday and looked good, considering it was only 10 days since he picked up the injury,” said Bruce, who has been used at his previous clubs to operating with small squads.

“But, given his history with hamstring problems, I’m going to err on the side of caution with him. I doubt very much I will risk him on Saturday (away to Burnley).