Yorke: Play me! (page 2)
By The Black Cats
April 9 2009
"We have players who have played in the Premier League but only for a year or two. We don't really have any established Premier League players and they are finding it a bit difficult.
"That's part of the reason I am here, to bring that calming influence.
"Hopefully, given that chance, I can influence the team from the pitch."
"When
Ricky first took over, the team was on such a high that everything
seemed cosy," said Yorke. "There was no need for me to push myself
forward.
"I was quite happy to let that happen, as much as I still wanted to play.
"But
now we are in a dilemma – there's a need for some experience to be
brought into the team. It won't take me long to get into the swing of
things because I am training every day."
Yorke
is out of contract in the summer and does not want his career to end on
a negative, especially after a career with no relegation blemishes.
He said: "It's up to us as a staff to explain the importance to the players because I have never been relegated in my life.
"I'm
coming to the end of my career and I don't want that on my CV. I made
it known (to the players) that you don't want to be going off in the
summer knowing you are coming back to the Championship. I would like to
think that has sunk in."
Dean
Whitehead picked up an injury last weekend in the 2-0 away defeat at
the hands of Gianfranco Zola's West Ham and if not fit to play either
Dwight Yorke or Teemu Tainio will be the favourites to replace the
captain.