Ellis Simms is set to get more minutes this week as Sunderland take on Huddersfield - but Tony Mowbray says the striker will not be ready to start games until after the World Cup break. On-loan Everton striker Simms had been out of action since mid-September with a toe injury but made his comeback in Saturday's draw at Luton, coming off the bench for the final 20 minutes at Kenilworth Road.
Sunderland head to Huddersfield on Wednesday night and the 21-year-old is expected to have a longer run-out, with subsequent games at home to Cardiff on Saturday and then at Birmingham a week on Friday offering opportunities to continue building up his game time before the Championship pauses for the World Cup. However head coach Mowbray says it is not until the season resumes again on December 3 at home to Millwall that Simms is likely to be ready to start.
"He might get 10 minutes more [than at Luton] on Wednesday night," Mowbray said of Simms. "The game will dictate, of course, but it's good to give him game time, to get him on the pitch, to get his boots on and make him feel more confident in himself.
