Following the open training session at the SoL on Tuesday Alex Pritchard spoke about all things Sunderland. Ranging from Wembley last year to if we should have VAR in the Championship.
OPEN TRAINING SESSION
“Yeah done it plenty of times, I think it's always good to connect with the fans and they can see what we actually do because obviously they only see match days and stuff like that so I just think that watching us train and what we actually do is quite nice to connect with the fans and see them after.”
INTENSITY
“Yeah, that was a training session that would be what we’d do at the training ground, it’s obviously no midweek game so it's probably a tougher session that we would do because obviously we've got a game on Saturday and to keep the fitness up and then we obviously have a big game coming up. Ellis was back out there today its massive for us.”
SEASON SO FAR
“Pretty good, considering obviously coming off the back of last year, look, we finished fifth in League One and we had to go what was it 16/17 unbeaten or whatever just to get out of the league so it was really good from the Lads. I think the fans played a massive part and stuck with us. I said before previously in interviews there's going to be ups and downs which there was definitely last year. Is there going to be ups and downs this year? 100% we’ve already had it, we've had injuries.”
BURNLEY
“Look, that's a tough one to take and I think the fans weren’t obviously happy with it. I think we’ve been two nil up here before and QPR, prime example, they score a good free kick from Ilias (Chair) and a goalkeeper comes up and scores an equaliser. Look, it's just football. It was a freak one and the fans are obviously unhappy but they stuck with us.”
NOT GOOD ENOUGH
“The weekend is totally different you’re two nil up, you're cruising in the game, you’re playing against one of the best footballing sides, one of the best teams in the league, second half things happened and it wasn't good enough on our part. The fans could be moaning about it but we know as a team that it just wasn't good enough but look it’s still a young team they’re still learning.”
BACK TO BACK WINS
“You want to win a couple of games, we haven't even won back-to-back games this year. Now we've lost back-to-back games I think it is so and then we go to Luton which is and I've been there before it will probably be one of the hardest games we’re going to play this season. After they've been beat four nil by Watford they're going to want to come out flying.”
NO STRIKER
“It’s been difficult. I've played as a nine before and it’s been really difficult but, these are things that you just have to deal with. I've been the guy that has to win the headers up front. I think what if we had the strikers available up until now? What happens if the QPR game we don't go and concede from a goalkeeper and what happens if someone didn’t get sent off?”
WINTER RUN IN
“We've got four games left until the break, you look at them four games the fans have to stick with us, it's going to be difficult in these next four games but if we can get some results and stay in and around that table and get to the break and get the boys back we can have a good go.”
SUNDERLAND FAITHFUL
“Having them fans has been absolutely massive. It's an extra number, it gives you the extra yard, you want to run, you want to run back, you want to do the dirty work. It was an amazing experience. (Wembley). It was the night before, you see it they're all over Trafalgar Square and I'm sitting in my room. I’m like I've got to go to bed here, I've got a game tomorrow, it’s not just a game it’s the final. I just think the fans are different. They’re different compared to other clubs I've been at and other stadiums I've been at and just they’re a different animal.”
TALENTED DRESSING ROOM
“Talent is up there, top, but it’s getting those fine margins of a young lad. You can have the talent but there's the other side of the game where you need to be focused on certain things. Biggest joker? Mixed really Clarkeys up there, biggest joker can be annoying sometimes.”
GOOD GROUP
“The morale is really good. Theres a great mix of a bunch of lads. You look at Edouard and you put yourself in his shoes. Come from France, over here say he's on his own, playing in front of 40,000, hasn't been playing. How tough that must be for him… For a 19 year old kid? Tough. I think the groups brilliant and look, we've got a lot of injuries. You know it's difficult when you've got a lot of injuries and you've got good players that are injured.”
PREMIER LEAGUE
“Trying to make the step up in that Premier League it’s so difficult. The next week you've got Man United and it's like that didn't work out and then you go to sleep then you've got Man City. It’s like when are we gonna get a point? Mentally it was really really tough.”
OFFICIATING AND VAR
“Listen, I know officials. I get on really well with officials, when you go into game mode you go into a different personality 100% and they've obviously got a really really difficult job. I understand that and they've got no help. Premier League, they've got help, they've got VAR. You get a penalty, it's no penalty, they go up the other end and then Diaz puts it in the top stage, and you know it's a penalty. Clarkey knows it's a penalty. I'm seeing that, I'm looking at it. How can there not be VAR in this league? With how much is riding on this Championship season I just don't understand how there cannot be.”
