Steve Bruce praises David Meyler's hard work
Dec 4 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal
DAVID Meyler will return to the Sunderland squad this weekend just seven months after suffering a potentially career-threatening knee injury with a glowing endorsement from Steve Bruce.
Meyler suffered an horrific injury on the final day of last season against Manchester United, but he has managed to return in the quickest time possible and his manager is full of admiration because of it.
Although Jordan Henderson has grabbed most of the attention on Wearside, thrusting his way into the England squad after just over one season of Premier League football, Meyler also graduated with distinction last term. And, just seven months after he was carried off the pitch in agony, the former Cork City prospect, will be on the bench against West Ham tomorrow ready to restart a promising top-flight career.
“He has had a fantastic recovery, which is typical of David,” said Bruce, who allowed Andy Reid to go on loan to Sheffield United last month because he knew Meyler was almost ready to return. “He has forced his way back into the squad this weekend, which is terrific.
“He was six months to the day of getting back. He is one resilient, big strong lad who has worked tirelessly. He did the lot, not just the anterior like Frazier (Campbell), he severed the whole thing so he has done fantastically well. He has been in here probably, 10 or 11 hours a day for the last six months.
“Not every player has that mentality. He is one of those who is a joy to manage. He loves the game and loves being a footballer and he was desperate to get back. When he wasn’t in the gym he was watching the training sessions, he is one you can’t keep away.
“The biggest thing has been keeping the reins on him. He is now ready, he has trained for six weeks, played three games, came through 90 minutes against Chelsea on Monday, where he was particularly impressive.
“It’s just at the right time, he could give us a spark again which is fantastic.”
Bruce has been predicting big things for Henderson from the first time he took a training session as Sunderland manager, and he has a similar view of Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Meyler’s potential, even though they are completely different types of player.
He explained: “Jordan got a lot of the attention last season and rightly so, but Meyler played a huge big part. When we needed him he came into the team. When we were toiling a little bit, he produced some great performance. I remember here against Man City at home when he played against Gareth Barry. He has a great future, he is very effective at what he does, he might not be pretty on the eye, but he is a good player.”
As a player, Bruce admits he had to work hard to make sure he got the most out of the limited natural ability he had, and he sees something similar in Meyler, who signed for Sunderland from Cork for just £250,000 in July 2008.
Bruce said: “He has a great mentality, a real appetite to work and to make sure he is a player because he is not naturally gifted, but by God he gives everything he has got. He is a throw back if you like, he is not one of the pampered ones.
“Six months the surgeon said to him and six months was the target he set, and he was determined to get to it. On the sixth month he was ready to train and that is fantastic for him and the medical staff who have helped him.”
As Meyler returns, Bruce admitted he is contemplating taking Henderson out of the firing line. The midfielder has not looked the same player since he made a disappointing England debut against France last month and his manager feels he could need a rest.
He said: “For the first time in the last couple of weeks we have seen him look a little bit leggy, but that is normal with a young player. He has had no rest because he has shown no signs of needing it in 18 months. We will look at it, but Jordan being Jordan, he will want to put it right on the pitch.”
