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Edwards seeking survival to prove he can play at top level
TWO torn hamstrings, a broken
leg and just six appearances
inside the last eight months. It
is safe to assume Sunderland's
Carlos Edwards does not feel his
big chance in the Premier
League this season has been
worth the wait.
Despite everything he has
been forced to endure, however,
the man from the Caribbean is
determined to ensure a
frustrating campaign ends on a
high, by keeping the Black Cats
in the top-flight.
It was always Edwards' dream
to play at the highest level of
the English game, having been
brought up watching the
Premier League in Diego
Martin, a small village in
Trinidad.
But his progress on to his
preferred stage has taken some
doing. After years playing for
the army, he was picked up by
Wrexham manager Brian Flynn
in 2000.
Five years in North Wales
persuaded Luton Town to
acquire his services and, after
two impressive years at
Kenilworth Road, Roy Keane
came calling in January last
year.
Even then, promotion
from the Championship
was not assured for
Sunderland, but the £1.5m
winger's displays in the
final five months helped
deliver that goal.
And it is the fact that
Edwards has had to work
so hard to reach the level
he has which has made
him even more focused
on retaining Premier
League status this
season.
"I am even more
determined to stay up
because of what has
gone on," said
Edwards. "I'm not
looking to be back in the
Championship. The other
lads will say that.
"What will be, will be. But
I'm sure we will be safe, I
know it. We will have to regroup
next season and
have a great season in 08-
09.
"I still have a lot to
prove. Everyone has an
opinion, I have mine and
that is that I can do a
good job in the Premier
League. There are a lot
of games still to go and
I know I have the
qualities to do
well in the
Premier, with
Sunderland or
whoever. The Premier League is
full of world-class players and I
can compete at this level."
Edwards will turn 30 in
October, so he is well aware that
he does not necessarily have a
great deal of time left in his
career if he is to become an
established name at the top
level.
But the right-midfielder,
expected to retain his place at
Aston Villa this afternoon after
returning to action against
Chelsea seven days ago, is in no
mood to think that way yet.
"There was one time during
my hamstring problem when I
could not be bothered," said
Edwards. "But my
mentality is not
to dwell on
things. I'm
back now
and
hopefully I
will still be
like
this
until the end of the season.
"Football is life for me. I
could be losing my house and I
would leave it, no worries, if it
was a straight choice between
football and the house. That's
the passion I have for the game.
"When I was younger my
mother would say don't go to
the park'. I would go because
that's how passionate I have
always been about football. I
just want to be around a ball all
of the time.
"Maybe the enthusiasm has
waned a little because I'm older.
But I'm still eager to be that kid
again. I will be like that until
someone tells me it's time to
hang the boots up. Who knows,
though, I might be playing in
the Masters by then!"
If Sunderland's chances of
staying up are to be boosted
then manager Roy Keane could
do with striker Kenwyne Jones
scoring again.
The powerful forward, a close
friend and fellow countryman of
Edwards, has not scored in ten
and has only found the net once
in his last 18 outings.
Due to Edwards' injury, the
pair have only played together
four times this season, with
Jones failing to score in any of
those.
But last week Keane predicted
the winger has the ability to
deliver better service to the
expensively-rated six-goal
striker.
Edwards said: "Kenwyne is
not the type to stress. He might
be frustrated but he doesn't
show it. He wants to score goals
but he will not be pulling his
hair out. He will just look at the
next game and look to do well.
"The manager motivates him,
the coaches motivate, they give
him encouragement. They know
what pressure he is under. He is
only a young guy and to be
classed with Didier Drogba and
the like is a massive pressure.
But he is the type of guy to
prove himself as a good player.
"Kenwyne knows my
quality though we have not
played much together.
"He knows I will try to
get the ball into him and
into that area to create
havoc. If I can do that
then we might be able to
get him up to double
figures."
8:52am Saturday 22nd March 2008
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