O'Neill will take doctors' advice over Campbell

•by James Hunter, Evening Chronicle
•Feb 3 2012


MARTIN O’NEILL will consult Sunderland’s medical team before plunging Fraizer Campbell into his third game in six days.

Campbell has only just returned to action after 17 months out with knee ligament damage and has already played two games this week.

He made his comeback as a half-time substitute against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Sunday and then played 74 minutes against Norwich City in midweek - scoring in both matches.

Now, with Sunderland set to face Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium tomorrow, O’Neill must decide whether the 24-year-old is able to cope with three games in such a short space of time after so long out of action.

O’Neill said: “It is going to be a big decision to make in regards to Fraizer.

“It is one I will give a lot of thought to in consultation with our medical team.

“If I left it to Fraizer, he would say he wants to start and he would be happy to play the whole 90 minutes!

“That is the sort of lad he is, he is just so enthusiastic and wants to play every game.

“However, we have to be careful and consider what is the best thing to do in his interests as well as ours.

“He has done really well to get through a whole half on Sunday and then 75 minutes midweek.

“I had thought about taking him off earlier against Norwich – maybe after the hour – but I found myself hanging on that wee bit longer, asking that bit more of him because I wanted to be certain of winning the game before taking him off.

“Whatever happens this weekend, though, we have to have an eye on making sure we don’t ask too much of him in what we have to remember is his first week back playing in the Premier League.”

Sunderland’s schedule does not get any easier next week, either, with the Stoke game followed by an FA Cup fourth-round replay at Boro on Wednesday and then a home game against Arsenal three days later.

O’Neill did at least add to his injury-hit squad on transfer deadline day, with Manchester City left-back Wayne Bridge and Wolfsburg central defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos both joining the Wearsiders on loan until the end of the season.

He may have to consider making changes to keep his players fresh.

O’Neill added: “The games are coming thick and fast and it is a real test of the squad.

“You do not want to change a winning side but we do have players in the wings who are itching to be part of the team.”

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/spor...-doctors-advice-over-campbell-72703-30257186/

 

If he is feeling fine, he will play some part...

 

if he's not feeling coming back maybe should start , maybe his pace would be a worry for their big lads at the back, could always bring him off later, game time is what he must be craving after his long lay-off

 

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Could watch that all day Comm. Gets better everytime i see it

 

i whould if he is fit put him on the bench and play him towards the end... his pace, slow defenders who already have yellows could be very useful

 

Tell the truth I'd not risk him against animals like Huth, I'd rather have Ji or Connor on with Sess.

 

Been staring at that goal for the last 10 minutes - better drag myself away now. Agree with Froggy, the monsters in the Stoke back line will kick lumps out of anybody as skillful as Fraizer and Sess. I would rather Connor gave them something back and save Fraizer for Boro and Arsenal

 

just put him in my ****ing fantasy team!! oh well, as a result of that i guess he wouldn't have scored anyway...


he may be raring to go, but it's when you are fatigued that these injuries come back, and even if his knee holds up, doing too much too soon will likely lead to other injuries. if the doctor says it's a choice, i'd rather see him have a cameo here and play the whole arsenal game, his pace will tear them apart and it's too much of a risk to watch that thug huth smash him apart all game. he is easily the dirtiest cheat in the premier league.