Fraizer Campbell is keen to take his Cats chance

Nov 5 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

SUNDERLAND striker Fraizer Campbell is confident he will recover from his niggling hip injury in time to finally stake his claim for a regular starting role in Steve Bruce’s Black Cats revolution.

Campbell is in line to profit from Kenwyne Jones’ three-match ban for shoving Herita Ilunga last week, but is still waiting for the green light to return to training.

That is a concern for the 22-year-old forward but he hopes to re-join the rest of the squad today with a view to playing against Spurs, the club where last year he spent a frustrating season-long loan.

Campbell would be the obvious choice to partner Bent in the absence of Jones although Steve Bruce is tempted by a tactical reshuffle which would see his £10m striker deployed in a lone front man role.

That would mean Kieran Richardson reprising the advanced midfield role which worked so well in pre-season, and see Campbell handed a wide berth to utilise his searing pace.

Whatever system the Black Cats decide on for their trip to North London, the former Manchester United man is just desperate to shake off his injury worries and hopes to graduate

from the reserve role that has been his domain for most of the campaign.

“I’m not quite ready yet – but I’m nearly there,” the striker revealed.

“I’m not sure what the problem is – I’ve done something to my hip and it’s touch and go at the moment.

“I’m still confident that I will be back – I’m not fully fit but I think I have a chance.

“Hopefully I’ll get on the training pitch before the Spurs game and get a few sessions under my belt before playing at least some part in Saturday’s game.

“I was sat in the stands last week and felt frustrated and bad for Kenwyne that he got sent off against West Ham – but I know that it could turn into good news for me.

“Now hopefully I can get in there and do alright now.

“You have to be patient because it’s a squad game but when you do get those chances you need to go on and take them.

“Which is why I’m desperate to be fit for Saturday.”

Injury-ravaged Sunderland will be searching for their first Premier League away win since the opening day when they meet Harry Redknapp’s side, but Campbell doesn’t believe the Black Cats’ travelling form has become a psychological issue.

Manager Bruce has upped the tempo in training to try and encourage his side to transfer their high octane, attacking style to away games.

“We just have to take our home form and our home mentality into games like this one and that is what the manager has been saying to us all week,” he said.

“I have been watching a few of the training sessions this week and he is trying to keep the tempo high and keep our momentum going, and get us to the level we can play to take that into away games.”

If Campbell is paired with Bent at White Hart Lane it would replicate the partnership that Redknapp experimented with in the Uefa Cup last season – a pairing that worked well despite limited opportunities.

Campbell added: “We have played together before, played together a couple of times earlier in the season and at Spurs last year and we work well together and I am looking forward to playing with him on Saturday.

“I remember training with Spurs against (Ledley) King, (Jonathan) Woodgate, (Michael) Dawson – they are great defenders and you have to raise your game every day.

“I learned so much from playing against them every day and they are no pushovers, but I am sure we can find a gap or two – hopefully on Saturday.”