Edwards gamble pays off big-style
Sunderland Echo
SUNDERLAND took a gamble on Carlos Edwards' natural fitness last week.
And it paid off with the Trinidad and Tobago international playing starring roles in the Easter victories over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton, and, today, QPR.
Now the 28-year-old winger is regarded as fully match fit once more and ready to be involved in every one of Sunderland's remaining four games.
That will be a major boost to Sunderland's promotion hopes, for the speedy wide-man has been a key player for the club since arriving in a £1.5million deal from Luton Town.
Roy Keane admitted that putting the player into both games within days of him recovering from a shoulder injury was not the ideal situation for the player or for the club.
But it proved to be a gamble worth taking because it helped Sunderland take six points out of six, and the belief that Edwards could handle it proved to be well-founded.
The Sunderland manager told the Football Echo: "Carlos is fine and there's been no reaction which is great.
"In an ideal world, we wouldn't have asked him to play both games, but, when you are pushing for promotion, I think you have to take the odd risk here and there.
"Having said that, though, it was a calculated risk.
"He's a fit lad and the injury he had enabled him to carry on a lot of leg work and keep his heart-rate and his fitness up.
"We speak to the medics regularly and the medical staff here deserve credit for the way they've looked after him.
"He's been to Leicester a few times for different opinions and different treatments, so the background information we were receiving was that he might come back sooner than we hoped.
"And, when you're a fit lad like Carlos, it helps you.
"Now he's back and he's flying and hopefully he'll stay fit for the rest of the season."