Adam Johnson
has not been ruled out of a return against West Ham this weekend, according to
new Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat.
The Dutchman, 67, said that "every player who trains has an opportunity to
start against West Ham".
Johnson was suspended by the club after he was arrested on suspicion of
sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.
But that suspension
was lifted on Thursday and the England international, 27, returned to
training.
At his first press pre-match press conference on Wearside, Advocaat offered
his squad a clean slate and placed the onus on the players to win back the
support of the fans.
"The fans need to know something is changing," he said. "We need them behind
us, they can be our 12th man. We must show them what it means to us."
Sunderland slipped to 17th place in the Premier League after last week's 4-0
home defeat to Aston Villa. Fans left the Stadium of Light en masse at half-time
and manager Gus Poyet was sacked on Monday.
Former Rangers boss Advocaat said: "We are now in a situation where we are
playing more or less at the bottom of the league, so something has to change.
I'm a coach that likes to control games. Sunderland have not done a lot of
that."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31983821
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