A recall for the fully recovered Dan Ballard could result from Sunderland’s suspension problems.
Régis Le Bris says he is confident that Dan Ballard will play a significant role this season and expects Sunderland will gain from the centre defender’s international assignments.
Ballard’s playing time this season has been severely limited by injury; the 25-year-old missed the most of preseason before sustaining an ankle injury at Plymouth Argyle. Chris Mepham, a deadline-day acquisition, has established a strong partnership with Luke O’Nien during his absence, but Le Bris has been in constant communication with Ballard and claims that his significance has never been questioned.
Since Le Bris lacks a genuine right defender and may instead use a back three, Ballard may yet make a comeback to the starting lineup at Millwall following the international break after Trai Hume was sent off for yellow in the 2-2 draw with Coventry City.
One of my primary responsibilities is to communicate with the players on a daily basis, Le Bris stated.
The first step is to establish a collaborative atmosphere and provide appropriate guidance regarding the game model and other aspects. The second is to maintain a tight relationship with the players regarding their unique projects and their roles in our collective project. Dan and I have had numerous conversations. I don’t believe he was at his peak match fitness when he returned from preseason knee issues. He put forth a lot of effort and tried hard for the team before suffering another injury to his ankle.
“The season hasn’t started off the way he had hoped, but sometimes you have to work hard to learn and find a new reference for the future,” he continued.
“I think he’s in this scenario right now, and I still have a lot of faith in him, his ability to help us, and the level he will reach. I’m not sure when, but it will undoubtedly happen. There are 31 games to choose from, and I enjoy both him and the participant. He will definitely play. We will benefit if he can play a few minutes for the national squad.
Over the international break, Northern Ireland will play Belarus and Luxembourg.
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