Much has been said about Wilson Isidor’s two penalty misses against Burnley earlier this month, and now the Sunderland man has revealed whether he would try again in the future.
Sunderland had a golden opportunity not once, but twice, to defeat promotion rivals Burnley when they visited Turf Moor, but had to settle for a 0-0 draw.
While the point away from home was a good result on paper, the Black Cats were frustrated not to get all three, especially given Wilson Isidor’s two chances from the spot.
Isidor called it the worst night of his life, but he has since got himself back on the scoresheet for Sunderland and appears to have put the issue behind him. So, would he try again from the spot in the future?
Wilson Isidor is determined to take more penalties in the future
The Sunderland squad had discussions about whether Isidor should continue to take penalties for the club, and now the man himself has chimed in on the matter.
Speaking to the Northern Echo, Isidor said: “Will I take the penalties in the future? Of course. In my career, I will continue to take penalties. That is not going to change.
“I showed character at the time, but my teammates also pushed me. When the second penalty came, they said, ‘You are going to take it’. I wanted to take it, they pushed me, but I missed. That’s life. I am sure I will miss again in my life, but I am also sure that I will score a lot too. I am not frustrated about that. It is an event that is behind me now, and I am focused on the future.”
On those who have helped him recover in the wake of the incident, Isidor cited Regis Le Bris as a key figure, as well as everyone around him at the club.
“The coach and me have a really good relationship,” he added. “He is pushing me every day to progress and get better. He’s a very good coach, and he helped a lot with what happened after Burnley. All the staff helped, and all the players. They pushed me to react quick and forget what happened in the past.”
- READ MORE: Marco Gabbiadini blasts Wilson Isidor over ‘nonsense’ Sunderland message after Burnley penalty drama
The next penalty will be key for Isidor, but he can put the issue behind him
It will be very interesting to see how Isidor approaches the next penalty Sunderland win. The logical thing to do would be for him to confront the issue head on, take the penalty, and hopefully score so that the issue is firmly behind him.
Of course, if he misses, there is a risk it could damage his confidence long-term, but he cannot afford to think like that.
Luckily, Isidor has already got back on track thanks to his goal against Plymouth at the weekend, and even that bizarre disallowed goal against Derby will have helped take his mind off the penalty situation.
There is no doubt he will be a major influence as to how the rest of Sunderland’s season plays out, and if he can keep up his current form, Isidor’s goals could well be the difference between promotion and disappointment for the Black Cats this year.