Fraizer Campbell unsettled by defeat at Spurs

Nov 11 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

FRAIZER Campbell would normally enjoy the opportunity to recharge his batteries during an international break – but the Sunderland striker fears it will be ruined by the frustration of last weekend’s defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

Campbell played on the right of a five-man midfield at White Hart Lane in the absence of the suspended Kenwyne Jones and played his part in an impressive Black Cats display.

Nevertheless, although he was happy with his return to the starting line-up, Campbell is still finding it difficult to accept Sunderland returned to Wearside empty-handed.

He said: “The international break will give us a recharge, but it’s never nice when you go into a break on the back of a defeat.

“The Spurs game will take a bit longer than normal to get out of our system because we don’t have another game coming up straight away to concentrate on.

“However, it’ll be good to have a couple of weeks to get some of the injured lads back on track, and hopefully the lads that are away playing internationals will all come back injury free ahead of the Arsenal game.”

Campbell has already enjoyed a successful career with the England Under-21 squad and was one of the stand out performers in the European Championships in Sweden in the summer before his £5m switch to Sunderland.

And the 22-year-old former Manchester United starlet is confident his Black Cats team-mate Jordan Henderson will soon be making his Under-21 debut as a result of his eye-catching form for his club.

“Jordan definitely has to be in with a shout of playing for the Under-21s,” said Campbell, who

scored four goals in 14 appearances for the England development squad.

“ He’s been playing Premier League football regularly in the last few weeks, and there aren’t too many teenagers who can say that.

“He’s been doing really well for us, so I can’t really understand why he hasn’t had the call up yet.

“I’m sure it’s only a matter of time, though, because I’m sure the England coaching staff are aware of him and watching him. He’s only 19, so I’m sure his time will come.

“There was a lot of pressure put on his shoulders against Spurs because Lorik (Cana) and Lee (Cattermole) were missing, but I thought he handled that well.

“He was the only real central midfielder that we had, but I thought he produced a really mature performance.

“I’m sure that his England call will come.”