Mike Dodds has been discussing Adil Aouchiche’s improvement in Sunderland.
Adil Aouchiche’s ‘attention and focus’ behind the scenes has improved significantly, according to Mike Dodds, and the offensive midfielder is now in serious contention for the starting lineup.
Aouchiche, who signed last summer with extensive Ligue 1 experience, has played little football since the holiday season and was chastised by former manager Michael Beale for his role in Ipswich Town’s winning goal in January.
Dodds says he had a long conversation with Aouchiche recently and believes he is getting the response he was hoping for: “I had a conversation with Adil this week, and I feel like we’ve got him in a position where he has a level of concentration and focus that is really important for a head coach if you’re going to pick a player. I believe we have him in a decent position right now, so he isn’t a million miles away from the squad.
“My issue when selecting a squad is [evaluating] Adil’s strengths and qualities, and whether they are positively or negatively counteracting the opposition. So it’s about finding the proper opportunity for Adil and his skills. It’s interesting that you bring him up because we’ve had a long chat with him about where he is with his concentration and focus, which has improved significantly. too, as a result, he isn’t too far removed from our thoughts.”
Dodds plans to make a few changes for Leicester City’s visit to the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night.
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