'I’d fancy myself against him': Retired ex-Sunderland defender delivers honest verdict on misfiring striker
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After signing under Mick McCarthy, Danny Collins made 163 appearances for the Black Cats during a five-year stint which included two Championship winning seasons.
Spells at Stoke, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Grimsby Town followed before the Wales international decided to call time on an 18-year professional playing career last week, aged 39.
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Hide AdCollins cemented himself as a success on Wearside and scooped two Fans’ Player of the Year awards. However, Grigg looks to be on an altogether different path at Sunderland.
The Northern Ireland international has netted just five times in 28 League One appearances since signing from Wigan in a big-money move last January. And Collins, speaking on The Roar Podcast, pondered 28-year-old’s recent performances.
“He looks isolated at times. Balls are going up to him and he’s fighting with six-foot-two plus centre-halves,” Collins explained. “But, at the same time, has his body language been positive throughout the games? Not really, for me.
“He can do a bit more and I know his game is balls in and around the box. Is the service good enough into him at the minute? Probably not.
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Hide Ad“So, there’s a lot of issues to be addressed over the next few weeks and a corner needs turning sharpish.
“You know, I could still go out there now, and I’d fancy myself to have a good game against him with the service he’s getting,” he concluded.