MoN talks Campbell

MARTIN O’Neill says Fraizer Campbell’s dip in form over the last couple of weeks has been entirely predictable.

And the Sunderland boss says he prefers to focus on the boost the England international (left) has given Sunderland since his return.

Campbell’s poorest game came against Blackburn Rovers in midweek, in stark contrast to the scintillating form which marked his return after a 17-month absence with cruciate ligament injuries.

But O’Neill said of the striker’s dip: “That hasn’t surprised me at all – I felt it was almost inevitable.

“The only person who would be really disappointed with it, would be the player himself.

“But he’s done incredibly well to have got back so successfully and done what he’s done so far. He’s had an incredible reintroduction into the game.

“He came on as a substitute against Middlesbrough and scored a wonderful goal to keep us in the cup, then followed that up with an excellent performance and another goal against Norwich.”

The manager will look at how he might best continue Campbell’s first-team rehabilitation and the return of Stephane Sessegnon from a three-game ban today will undoubtedly help ease the burden on the young forward.

But O’Neill is just pleased that Campbell has come back so well, so far.

“You just knew that it would all catch up with him eventually,” he said. “And that’s all that’s happened. It’s perfectly natural.

“But the very fact that he has come through these games without suffering a recurrence of the injury is good news. And I know that the way things are going, we’ll see the best of him in the not too distant future.”

 

His lass has just had a nipper hasn't she?

Mebbies the youngun's keeping him awake all night.

 

one bad game after soooo long out is expected, the kids quality and i think nxt season will be his best yet....

 

Have to agree completely. Even though he had a poor game his workrate was excellent. More to come from this lad