Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon has warned Marton Fulop he is ready to fight for his place after putting an injury nightmare behind him.
The 26-year-old Scotland international is already back at the club's Academy of Light training headquarters as he recovers from knee surgery. The Edinburgh-born player managed only 14 appearances last season after losing his place to Fulop but is now fully focused on restoring himself as first-choice keeper at the Stadium of Light.
Gordon told the club's official website, www.safc.com: "After starting last season fairly well, it just fell away after that and it was just one thing after another for me. I have not experienced that before in my career, but hopefully I have got all that out of the way at the same time and I can concentrate on getting fit and healthy and have a good run at it this season."
He added: "It was a new experience for me and it was difficult to handle, but these things happen over the course of a player's career and it's about bouncing back and handling it, coming back fitter and stronger and ready to go again."
Gordon's team-mates are not due back until next Thursday, when new manager Steve Bruce will start the process of assessing his squad in earnest. But his rehabilitation work is already well under way.
He continued: "It's not going too badly. I'm slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things.
"I'm at the rehab phase now, just getting the knee used to the rigours of the training that we can expect over the next few weeks.
"The operation was to clean the knee of debris, smooth the surfaces, making sure that everything was working properly again.
"Now it's a case of building up the muscles around it and getting back into training as soon as possible."
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I am gobsmacked that a so called s/land fan can rate Craig Gordon as the no 1 keeper. he is vastly overrated and definately over paid. He is a Championship standard Player who will not make the grade in the premireship as he dosent talk to his defenders or command any part of the area, finally ,he is just not good enough and we need to get rid and re coup some of the riddiculous fee that was laid out for him.
As a SAFC season ticket holder I wonder which matches PWilson was watching. This man hasn't rated as far as I'm concerned. He's slow to get down to balls hit in from long range, doesn't command his box and come out for clearances, and rarely holds the ball when he does manage to get to bals arriving in the box. 9 million quid -Keanes having a laugh. Certainly no where near the standard of past keepers here like Monty, Turner, the Flying Pig, etc.
Atleast he can steer clear of those divets, Eh heslop?
But hey, i would pay 9 million too, if it meant i wouldn't have to field an English flop between the sticks.
he craps himself everytime the opponents cross the ball doesn't command his box and lets in far to many soft goals a typical scottish goalie who wouldn't be the most expensive goalie if it wasn't for keane spending money like it was going out of fashion lets hope keane wants him at Ipswich i'd take 3million for him
as a mackem season ticket holder, I don't rate him. 9 million for a good shot stopper? needs to do much better. As for last season, what games were you watching, Needs to put on a good stone in weight, and start commanding his area, that meams 18 yard box , and not just the 6 yard box.
You must work hard to regain ur position cos £9million as British record signing as keeper is not a joke.
Flash is the man!!!!
He was fantastic last season until the injury, and now we have a better man manager in place, me thinks he will a fantastic season.Bet you Brucey can't believe he's got a 9 million keeper between the sticks.The Braves number 1!!! anarl might I add.
Super Super Flash- Super Super Flash-Super Super Flash Super Flash Craig Gordon................................
Come on Graig!!!!
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