Jack Ross is hoping to have Lee Cattermole available once again soon as the midfielder returned to training today.
The midfielder, who hasn’t featured in the league since Sunderland’s 1-1 draw at Scunthorpe United in January, stepped up his recovery from injury as he resumed training with the first-team squad.
But while tomorrow night’s home match against Blackpool might be too soon for a return to competitive action, Ross is hoping to have Catts available soon with Accrington Stanley on Friday before Gillingham visit the Stadium of Light next Tuesday.
“Lee Cattermole trained today and everybody else should be fit and healthy for the weekend,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot of options so it’s up to us to make sure we put together the right teams when you consider we’ve got matches on Saturday, Tuesday, Friday, Tuesday and Saturday.
“The games are in quick succession, so you need to make sure we use the squad. There are some players who aren’t playing obviously poorly but equally aren’t at the levels they should be at or feel themselves they should be.
“One thing we have got now is an honest group so Saturday hurt them,” he continued.
“It hurt some of them that weren’t quite at the levels they should be at so that’s the thing we do have in our favour because there’s a determination to bring success to the football club and we will keep striving to do that.”
