Source: Northern_Echo
Mensah plotting top half finish for Black Cats
SUNDERLAND defender John Mensah is ready to put his injury problems behind him and hopes to help the club push for a top ten finish.[LNB] The Ghanaian spent last season on loan at the Stadium of Light, but his first spell was severely disrupted, limiting him to just 18 appearances.[LNB] Despite being troubled by injuries, boss Steve Bruce resigned the 27-year-old on another loan deal this summer after describing Mensah as the best defender I've ever worked with.' Mensah on loan from Ligue 1 side Lyon has been out since Sunderland's draw with Birmingham City with a hamstring injury but is ready to return against Wigan on Saturday.[LNB] By the grace of God I am fine now, Mensah said. It was a different injury from those I was getting last year and I just had to accept it. Injuries like that are part of football.[LNB] I will not be troubled by my old problems because I am getting special treatment at Sunderland, just like I had during the World Cup.[LNB] I am confident I will play every match for the rest of the season now honestly. I don't know the coach's mind, if he wants me to play every game, but I hope to play every match now.[LNB] I think we have found a solution now. I had special treatment during the World Cup and it made a bad difference.[LNB] When I signed the second deal at Sunderland we sat down and an agreement was made that I would follow the same programme with the same treatment. If I do that then I am confident I will be OK.'' The Black Cats completed the record signing of Mensah's fellow countryman Asamoah Gyan on deadline day last week and the defender believes the forward will be a great addition to the squad.[LNB] He is a great player and a good person too, he said.[LNB] He is young and very talented he will only get better with Sunderland. With the advice of Steve Bruce and Eric Black, he will get much, much better in England.[LNB] He scores plenty of goals, he's fast and he's clever too.[LNB] He just needs more experience.[LNB] Sunderland is a big club, I told him this, and I am delighted with him signing for us.[LNB] I think he understands exactly what we are trying to do we are a team, we are not about one individual superstar and that is how we will win games. We are a team, we do things together and he knows that and accepts that.[LNB] I think he will settle quickly, but it is up to Asamoah.'' Mensah revealed his new team-mate is not only a talented footballer, but a talented singer and promises the striker will light up the Sunderland dressing room with his music.[LNB] He is the one who leads the music in the Ghana camp,'' revealed Mensah.[LNB] We like to listen to music to relieve our tension in the national team and he is the one who has that big responsibility.[LNB] We always sing and he is the one who leads the singing.[LNB] He is a very good singer. He sings gospel music and he sings very, very well.[LNB] Outside of the camp he has his special music he makes music with a singer who is famous in Ghana.[LNB] He loves his dancing, he loves his music he gets everyone in Ghana on their feet![LNB] Mensah and Gyan were both part of Ghana's World Cup squad that reached the quarter-finals and the defender revealed why the African side got so far and England didn't.[LNB] The World Cup was amazing,'' he said. People didn't think Ghana could make it to the quarter-final but we were a team.[LNB] We loved being with each other, every player was part of a team. We had a good spirit and a good bench even people on the bench thought they could be part of that team.[LNB] In our team there was not one player who thought he was the best. We all played a big part in it. We were not like England in that respect![LNB]
