Wednesday 13 August 2014 14:02, UK
Jozy Altidore is hoping to learn from what went wrong last season and show his worth to Sunderland this term.
The USA international made the move to the Stadium of Light from AZ Alkmaar last summer in a deal reportedly worth £7million, but managed just one Premier League goal in 31 appearances.
There had been speculation that Sunderland may not keep Altidore, but he is back in training following a hamstring injury and determined to make his mark.
The first year was difficult but it is out of the way now, we stayed up and now it is a new start for everybody and you just have to try to affect the game every time you play.
He admits it was difficult last season to perform well in a side which struggled until the final few weeks of the campaign, but having staged a brilliant escape from the relegation zone it is a chance for everyone at the club to start afresh.
“Coming to Sunderland as a whole was different, but this is where you have to adapt,” Altidore told the Sunderland Echo.
“It was a tough year for me last year. I struggled, everybody struggled.
“When things don’t go well, you analyse what you can do better.
“I’ve done that and hopefully this season I can start out on the right foot.
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“The first year was difficult but it is out of the way now, we stayed up and now it is a new start for everybody and you just have to try to affect the game every time you play.
“When the team is playing well, you are going to see individuals playing well.”
Altidore is expected to start Saturday’s season opener against West Bromwich Albion on the bench as he continues to rebuild fitness, and he is desperate for Sunderland to get off to a winning start.
He added: “We started so terribly last season, it put us behind all along.
“But that’s why West Brom is a huge game for us because we have to make sure we start well with three points.”
