Adam Matthews is eagerly anticipating the new season after proving both fitness and form in a string of pre-season friendlies with Sunderland.
The 25 year-old has returned to parent club Sunderland for this campaign following a season-long loan with Bristol City.
Matthews has played a part in six pre-season games up to this point and has spoken of his relish when it comes to the challenge of the season ahead.
Speaking to Sunderland’s official website about the upcoming Championship campaign, Matthews said: “The volume of games is important to handle, you have got to have a big squad and you have got to use all of it.”
“It is tough and if you aren’t prepared right for it, it could come back to bite us. We can’t let that happen, though.”
“We needed a hard pre-season to get fit for the Championship because there are a lot of games, two games a week so you have got to be fit,” he added.
Matthews was also complimentary towards manager Simon Grayson for putting faith in the former Cardiff City full-back.
He said: “I’m thankful to him for giving me a chance and hopefully he sees something in me to give me a chance.”
“I’m looking forward to working with him, training has gone well and hopefully I can be in his plans. I am 100% committed to Sunderland and hopefully I can get in the team.”
Since his departure from Celtic in 2015, where he moved to after falling out of favour in the eyes of the Cardiff City management in 2011, Matthews has been dogged by injuries.
Despite making his international debut against Scotland back in 2011, Matthews has only accrued 13 Wales appearances due to the ravages of injury. He also failed to make the Wales squad for the 2016 European Championship in France.
Matthews has had his work cut out to regain an international place, with Chris Gunter on the way to reaching a century of caps for Wales - he’s made the national right-back slot his own with Jazz Richards also able to deputise if required.
A solid start to the league season from Matthews with Sunderland could be just what is required to get the attention of Welsh manager Chris Coleman ahead of the upcoming crunch period of this World Cup qualifying campaign.
And he will surely be hoping to give Chris Coleman a selection headache by starting the season strongly with the Black Cats ahead of Wales’ World Cup qualifier against Austria in September.
(Featured image: Jon Candy)