Catt’s eyes on a return to action at Hornets
MIDFIELDER LEE RARING TO GO AFTER INJURY LAY-OFF
AFTER six months on the sidelines, Lee Cattermole says he is back and ready to drag Sunderland out of another relegation battle.
The Teessider has revealed he knew in the warm-up to September’s Crystal Palace game he could no longer ignore a long-standing hip/back problem, even though he played 86 minutes that day.
Cattermole underwent surgery and, although a setback in his rehabilitation delayed his return by another month - and despite not so much as an under-23 game under his belt since - he has declared himself fit to face Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
He said: “I had a brief chat with the manager and told him mentally I was in a good place.
“I might have wanted reserve games but I don’t feel I need them.
“I just feel like it is a good time to be in and around the squad and I am ready to play my part.”
The 29-year-old was part of the Sunderland side which finished in the top half of the Premier League in his second season in 2010-11 but every campaign since has been a relegation battle of one sort or another.
With seven points to make up and only 10 games in which to do it, the feeling is this could be the year when the Black Cats’ fight against relegation comes to an end.
The return of Cattermole will certainly improve their chances, though.
He admits it has been tough being unable to influence matters on the field but has tried his best to help off it.
Cattermole added: “In the past we have come into our own at this time of the season so let’s hope that happens again.
“You go home from training hearing whispers about things going on and I have gone to all the home games in the dressing room.
“You want to be in control of the job yourself but I have tried to help the boys as much as I can without adding pressure to the team. It is trying to find that balance.”
Cattermole has only made two Premier League appearances this season and he knew before the last of them something was wrong.
He said: “It has been a long haul with lots of ups and downs along the way and I have had a little setback but I have tried to use it as a positive.
“I have had another four weeks in the gym which I was not expecting but hopefully that will hold me in good stead in the weeks ahead.
“It was a big operation and there is a lot of time off your feet so when you come back things are going to flare up and react.
“It was a bit frustrating but that is behind me now and I am feeling strong.
It has been lingering on for a long time and I didn’t realise how much it was affecting me.
“That was it for me – Crystal Palace at home.
“I was warming up and I thought I was doing myself such an injustice and it was going to affect the team.
“That was when we started to look a bit deeper and made a decision.”
Despite his setback, Cattermole is already feeling the benefit of finally dealing with the issue. He added: “It has been three weeks back in training and I have not had any pain.”
With three games in eight days – the Black Cats are at Leicester City on Tuesday and host Manchester United the following Sunday – manager David Moyes will have to be careful not to ask too much too soon of his talisman, but if he is on tomorrow’s team-sheet it will be a huge boost to morale.
■ FORGOTTEN man Adam Matthews could be back at Sunderland next season.
The Welsh international has only played 36 minutes of Premier League football.
The 25-year-old is on a second loan spell at Bristol City but looks unlikely to join them permanently.