Niall Huggins has admitted that he thought about leaving Sunderland on loan.
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, the defender has opened up about his injury problems and his bid to solidify his place in the starting line-up.
Huggins joined Sunderland from Leeds United two years ago but has spent a majority of his time since on the sidelines.
The full-back has suffered with a stress fracture in his back, a heel injury and a number of tweaks and strains that had limited him to only seven appearances for the Black Cats before the current season.
However, Huggins was finally given an opportunity to shine when he made it through pre-season unscathed, before Dennis Cirkin was forced into the treatment room following the 5-0 win over Southampton.
Huggins has started all three of the club’s Championship matches since and he is now determined to finally kickstart his career on Wearside, despite almost leaving on loan.
“Obviously it was a really tough time,” Huggins told the Echo. “Just weird injuries that aren’t very common. We struggled to find actual answers for why it was happening so it was obviously tough mentally.
“With family by you, friends, teammates sticking by you, it’s tough to be in the building sometimes when you’re not part of the wins so it’s that conflicting feeling. You just have to knuckle down because there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
“After a long time this moment I’m at now I think it’s all come to this moment. Hopefully now I can get a good run of games and show what I can do.”
Niall Huggins is now ready to show what he can do
When asked about whether there was talks of Huggins leaving on loan in the summer, he said: “We didn’t really talk about that. Obviously you always have them thoughts in your mind.
“A few weeks into the season you are kind of thinking in your own head like, could it be the best thing for me? In football you never know what is going to happen, and then Dennis has an unfortunate injury and it gives me an opportunity to step in and show what I can do.”
Huggins will have to impress if he is to keep both Cirkin and Aji Alese out of the team once they return from injury – a very tough ask considering how important the pair were to Sunderland last season.