CATT’S ATTITUDE EARNS SALUTE OF ROSS
LEE Cattermole’s Sunderland future remains up in the air but Jack Ross insists he cannot fault the midfielder’s effort after his first start of the season.
The 30-year-old, who has been at Sunderland since 2009 when he joined from Wigan, came off the bench against Luton last week before getting the starting nod in Thursday’s Carabao Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.
He had been tipped for a loan move to Bordeaux under former manager Gus Poyet, but that move is now seemingly dead in the water following the Uruguayan’s suspension at the Ligue 1 club.
As a result, Cattermole’s position at Sunderland is in doubt, but manager Ross was impressed by the commitment shown in the loss to the Owls.
“I have been consistent in my answer to that because it is the truth,” Ross said. “From day one in pre-season, I have taken him as I found him, like every player in the squad.
“His attitude and his approach to training and his response to what my staff and I have asked him to do has been terrific, I have enjoyed working with him.
“The other things that go with it are nothing to do with me and not Lee’s fault, either.
“I was pleased for him to get back on the pitch at this stadium. He is not daft, it is mentally challenging for him as well.
“His contribution was good in the middle, considering he hasn’t had a lot of game time, missing a couple of games with illness and injury.
“He is playing catch-up but got good game-time in, his contribution was good and I am pleased he got that reaction as well.
“The one thing about him is he genuinely wants this club to do well. I was pleased with what he did.”