LONG-SERVING skipper Michael Gray is backing ace marksman Kevin Phillips to shoot Sunderland into Europe next season.
And the former England fullback, who is in his testimonial season after ten years at the club, believes that the little striker is set to re-establish himself as the Premiership's top gun.
Phillips, who won Europe's Golden Slipper and the Premiership's Golden Boot awards for his 30 League goals two seasons ago, finished down the pecking order with 18 League and Cup strikes in the last campaign.
But Phillips, who blamed missing Sunderland's pre-season build up last summer through injury for not being such a prolific scorer, started his build up long before his team-mates reported back to the Whitburn training ground yesterday.
Gray revealed: "Kevin has been in training two or three weeks before everyone else reported back.
"He looks sharp and raring to go - he is a fantastic player and it is a great bonus to have him at this football club.
"We all know how he finished off last season - the way he scored his second goal in our last game at Everton was just unreal.
"I'm sure Kevin will be one of the favourites to finish top scorer in the Premiership next season. He is bound to there or thereabouts."
Gray knows how important it is to the fans to see Sunderland finally qualify for Europe after twice finishing seventh with 57 points.
Now he feels that, with a strengthened squad, the club is ready to take one step further and delight their fans, who were so disappointed to just miss out on a UEFA Cup place last season.
Gray said: "The last two seasons have been tremendous but now everyone wants to take it one step further, Europe is now the only option.
"Having finished seventh twice should act as an extra spur - this time we don't want to rely on other teams slipping up we have have to try and do it ourselves without having to wait until the last game of the season."
The Wearside-born defender, Sunderland's longest serving player, firmly believes that the club has rarely been stronger.
He said: "Everybody knows we have a great squad here. I know I am in the side, but from watching and playing for the last 15 years I think this is the best side that Sunderland's ever seen for a long time and it great to be part of it.
"This time around there can be nothing else on anyone's mind than getting into Europe."
Gray knows Sunderland have faltered in their last two seasons, and this weakness must be eradicated this time to fulfil the European dream.
He said: "The manager is ambitious and he has strengthened the squad in the summer by bringing in some very good players and I am sure he hasn't finished yet.
"Hopefully, with a stronger squad we won't have another little blip which we've had in the last two seasons and can get the extra six or seven points which could make all the difference.
"We've finished with 57 points in each of the last two seasons and now we've got to aim to go through the 60 points barrier.
"This time around the only thing on our minds is getting into Europe."
Manager Peter Reid was delighted to hear that his two exciting South American stars, Julio Arca and Nicolas Medina, had helped Argentina to win the FIFA World Youth Cup - and he expects them back on Wearside on July 24 after a two-week break from football.
There had been a suggestion that Argentina might send its victorious youth team to compete in the Copa America in Columbia, a prospect Reid would not be happy about.
He said: "Both players have had a very successful tournament and have helped Argentina win the trophy.
"Now it is important that they have a rest."
He said that he had not heard about the possibility of Arca and Medina going on to play in Colombia. "I would have something to say about that," he admitted
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