Robbie Stockdale is keeping his fingers crossed that Sunderland’s players come through the latest international break unscathed.
A host of first-team players are away with their countries over the next week, on the back of what has been a hectic schedule at club level.
And as David Moyes looks to plot a winning formula ahead of the Black Cats’ trip to Stoke City next Saturday, first-team coach Stockdale told safc.com he is hopeful the players return fresh and ready to go.
“There were certainly positives to take (from West Brom) and a lot of things to work on,” he said.
“We came out of the game pleased that we had come back and taken a point but we certainly had chances to win the game.
“We need to start picking up some wins but hopefully it’s a step in the right direction.
“We have got two big away games coming up and certainly for the teams we are playing they will see it as a good opportunity to pick up points themselves.
“We have got a lot of players away from the building at the minute and hopefully they come back fit and raring to go when we play Stoke."
