Carlos Edwards: Bring on Newcastle United.
By: Graeme Anderson (Sunderland Echo).[/size]
Carlos Edwards says he is ready to play in Saturday's Wear-Tyne derby – if he gets the nod from boss Roy Keane. Sunderland's Trinidad and Tobago international winger successfully came through an hour of reserve-team football last night.
And after spending the last week in full training, he reckons he could be back and involved for Sunderland's first team as soon as Saturday.
The former Luton flier, out since mid-August with a troublesome hamstring problem, said: "It was great to get an hour's competitive football under my belt. It felt really good, like I'd never been out.
"I've had no reaction to the injury and hopefully that's the way it will be from now until the end of the season.
"Now I just can't wait to get involved in the first team again.
"I don't know if the Newcastle game will be seen as coming too soon for me.
"But I'm up for selection as far as I'm concerned and it's up to the manager whether or not he wants to include me in the squad.
"If I am selected, I feel I am capable of doing a job and I will go out there and give it 100 per cent of effort.
"I think there's no doubt that I do need two or three games before I'm fully match-fit again.
"But I do feel I could contribute this weekend if needed and it is a game I would love to be involved in.
"If not, then I will just accept that decision and wait for the chance to be involved in the fixture second time around."
As well as setting up a goal last night, Edwards also scored the opener in the 8-0 thrashing of Wearside League Wolviston – a game which also featured the return of Andy Cole, the veteran striker also getting on the scoresheet and getting an hour under his belt with no ill-effects.
Edwards felt the run-out was just what he needed at this stage of his comeback.
He said: "I enjoyed the game.
"No disrespect to Wolviston, I thought it might have been a more intense game and that would have given the injury more of a test.
"But I've had no bad reaction from the game and I don't expect any either.
"I have trained far longer in traning sessions than I played last night – and rather than do me any harm, I think the game will have done me the world of good.
"Fair do's to the physios, they have played their part in getting me right and here I am back in full training and ready to play.
"It was intensive treatment, trying to get me back to the player I was and they have done a good job getting me playing again the way I am now.
"I've missed my football – it seems like I've been out forever. You always want to play football, but injuries do happen and it was just sad that it happened to me so early in the season.
"I'm just hoping that I can get back in the team, stay injury-free and help the team kick-start our season a little."
