Source: Daily_Mail
David Meyler set for new Sunderland deal but Andy Reid suffers injury setback
Two of Sunderland's Irish contingent have enjoyed and endured differing fortunes over the last month as the Wearside club look for one final win to seal their Premier League safety. [LNB]David Meyler is on the verge of capping his impressive start to life under Steve Bruce with a new contract but his Irish team-mate Andy Reid's season looks to be over. [LNB]Bruce has announced that midfielder Meyler is in talks to sign a new five-year contract with the club. [LNB] Impressive: Meyler (left) has made his mark with the Black Cats[LNB]The former Cork City midfielder has finally established a regular first-team place under Bruce, who is looking to reward the Republic of Ireland Under 21 midfielder with a massive contract extension and wage increase. [LNB]Meyler, 20, who was signed by Bruce's predecessor Roy Keane, has started seven games for Sunderland this season after making his debut at the end of December and recovering from two ankle injuries which kept him out for most of the close season and the early part of the campaign. [LNB]Sunderland's horrendous injury list forced Bruce to turn to the Cork man at the turn of the year, and despite one dismissal at Portsmouth which led to a three-match ban, Meyler has made a positive impression on Bruce in just six months.[LNB] The Sunderland boss said: 'If you had seen him five months ago in Hetton-le-Hole where we play our reserve games, you would have thought "who is that mad Irishman?" [LNB]'He has matured a little bit, he was a little bit too exuberant racing round the reserve games at Hetton but he has great heart and he wants to improve so good luck to him. [LNB] 'He was totally disappointed at Portsmouth when he was sent off but he has taken his chance since and played fantastically at home. We are opening negotiations with him and Jordan Henderson. [LNB]'I took him to Portugal in pre-season and he did his ankle badly and was out for three months and then he came back and did the other ankle badly, so the kid was unfortunate. I did like him but he got injured badly. [LNB]'They are both desperate to do well and when we check out the stats on a Monday morning for tackling and distances covered, it is a competition between the two of them and to be fair to Meyler he is taking them on. [LNB]'Jordan is also potentially a very good young player who keeps learning and has had good grounding in the academy. He is level-headed and the phone didn't stop all summer from other clubs but when I came in he caught my eye straight away out of everybody and he has got to be in with chance of international recognition. [LNB]'To play a full year in the Premier League takes some doing. [LNB]'The most important thing for him and Meyler is they have huge hunger and they want to do well for Sunderland. There is nothing better than a dressing room with a bunch of good young kids.' [LNB] Injury blow: Reid (right) has been unfortunate[LNB]Reid meanwhile has suffered another major setback on his international comeback and looks certain to miss the Republic of Ireland's two end-of-season friendlies against Algeria and Paraguay through injury. [LNB]The Sunderland midfielder has suffered another setback with a recurrence of a calf injury in training this week and is almost certainly ruled out for the rest for the season.[LNB] Reid had been in terrific form with the Wearside club earlier in the season, and Bruce and Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn were leading the calls for the former Nottingham Forest and Tottenham midfielder to be recalled to Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland squad. [LNB]But he has missed Sunderland's last eight games with the calf problem and only made three starts since the start of the year. [LNB]Bruce said the 27-year-old midfielder attempted a return to full-scale training earlier in the week but suffered a serious setback which may now need surgery. [LNB]The gaffer: manager Bruce[LNB]Reid will have scans this week to determine whether he requires an operation but Bruce does not expect him to play again this season. [LNB]He said: 'Being honest he is absolutely distraught, as you can imagine. He came back in to training on Tuesday but suffered a recurrence of the injury the following day and we have sent him home for a few days. `[LNB]'He will probably go to see the specialist this week and we just hope it is rest that is needed rather than an operation but it has been going on for a long time and it keeps recurring. [LNB]'Whether he needs an operation we don't know yet but it is a disappointment because he has been fantastic for me.' [LNB]Reid missed Trapattoni's first squad get-together in Portugal almost two years ago through injury and he has not been selected by the Italian for more than 18 months after the pair famously clashed following Ireland's World Cup qualifying win over Georgia in Germany. [LNB]His impressive performances for Sunderland had renewed calls for the veteran coach to recall him for the Euro 2012 campaign, but Reid will have to start afresh in his bid to add to his 27 Ireland caps next season. [LNB] Bardsley linked with Sheffield United after dropping out at SunderlandPepe wanted by Sunderland: Bruce to bid £15m for Udinese wingerALL THE WEEKEND FA CUP & PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM NEWSSteve Bruce hoping Bolo Zenden signs new deal to stay at Sunderland beyond the summerSUNDERLAND FC
