Kev’s ready to kick Cats
PHILLIPS EYES RAMS RAID
KEVIN PHILLIPS is relishing having the chance to add to his beloved Sunderland’s woes tonight.
It has been a desperate time for the Wearsiders thanks to relegation from the Premier League, the failure to get a takeover bid completed and the delay in appointing Simon Grayson as boss.
And their problems resurfaced when midfielder Darron Gibson was filmed in a foul-mouthed rant criticising his team-mates last weekend.
Yet ‘Super Kev’, who scored 134 goals in six seasons in the North East, is out to add to their misery when his Derby side visit the Stadium of Light.
Bite
The Rams assistant coach, 44, said: “I would say it was not just a bad last six months but three or four years.
“They just avoided relegation a number of times and if you keep coming through by the skin of your teeth at some point it will bite you on the backside.
“They have had off-field problems – is the club going to be sold or not – left it late to appoint a manager and have not got a lot of time to work players pre-season.
“And a lot of those players are not bothered, according to comments by a certain player.
“We will just have to try to add to the problems they have.”
And Phillips believes the Gibson affair could play into Derby’s hands, adding: “I’ve played football enough and been at enough clubs where I’ve come across situations like that.
“From Simon Grayson’s point of view, he’s not glad it’s come out but he’s glad it has come out five or six days before the opening game. He’s had time to deal with it and brush it to one side.”
Phillips, who scored 30 goals for Sunderland in the Premier League in 1999-2000, said: “It’s hugely special going back.
“I might get welcomed for 10 minutes, then it’s down to business.”
Grayson makes his debut in the Sunderland hot seat knowing he now has to do his business on a shoestring.
He said: “We can’t spend millions on players and I knew that when I came.”