A rare pre-season can get me fired up, says Roberts
Patrick Roberts hopes a full pre-season will help him hit the ground running after signing a two-year contract at Sunderland.
The 25-year-old penned a new deal at the Stadium of Light over the weekend, and believes he will benefit from a more structured build-up to the 2022/23 Championship campaign following several short-term spells at various clubs.
Roberts signed for Manchester City as a teeneger in 2015 but was loaned out to Celtic, Norwich City, Middlesbrough and Derby County, while also moving abroad, during his seven-year stint at the Etihad Stadium.
That meant the playmaker was often signing for clubs when their league fixtures had already begun, and he subsequently took a few weeks to get up to speed.
Yet, with over a month to go until Sunderland’s season opener against Coventry City, Roberts returned to the Academy of Light with the rest of his Black Cats teammates last week for the start of pre-season.
“Pre-season is important,” Roberts told the club’s website, after signing his new deal.
“I haven’t had many the past few years, being on loan you kind of don’t really get a full pre-season.
“The manager has spoken to me about that and it will be
important for me. Coming in on the first day was obviously just as important for me as everyone else.
“It’s something we have to get through and it’s part and parcel of football so you just have to enjoy it, take what you can from it, build on it and set a good standard for the rest of the season.”
Roberts has played over 50 games in the Championship and looks set to be an important player as the Black Cats step up to the second tier.
“There are some big clubs, there’s always tough competition,” Roberts added.
“League One was tough as well, as you’ve seen for the last four years. There are obviously big clubs coming down and big clubs coming up.
“It’s just about doing it right in pre-season, having a structure, getting the right players in and building a formation and formula that we can carry on throughout the season, and I’m sure the manager will do that.
“I’m excited and am looking forward to it.”