Coleman will stay patient with McNair
Chris Coleman says he will continue to adopt a cautious approach with Paddy McNair – and says the player needs to be ready physically and psychologically before he returns to Sunderland’s first team.
Black Cats midfielder McNair has been blighted by injuries over the last 15 months.
Having returned from a cruciate knee injury, the Irishman has suffered from groin and stomach issues and, while he played for the Under23s twice in a week, Coleman will continue to tread carefully with the player, wary of not rushing him back after pal Duncan Watmore suffered an injury setback on his return.
McNair got an hour under his belt for the second string against Manchester City last night as he builds up his confidence.
Coleman said: “With Paddy, as a footballer, that particular injury, when anybody mentions it you wince. It’s a tough one.
“When Duncan did his again, I’m quite sure that it sent a shockwave through Paddy’s system.
“So we’ve given Paddy more game time with the U23s, and he has been training well with us this week.
“He is a big boy, he is powerful, he makes good forward runs, and that’s what we need from him.
“In the Championship, you’d be surprised how far pace, power and organisation can take you.
“But he also has to have his mind right, and know that physically he is ready.
“I think another game with the U23s will do him a lot of good physically and psychologically.”
Sunderland U23s lost 2-0 to Manchester City at Eppleton to slip to second-bottom spot in Premier League 2, with Rabbi Matondo and Ian Carlo Povedo scoring in the first half for the visitors.