Ian Holloway reveals what he told Phil Parkinson about Sunderland youngster Ethan Robson

Robson returned to Wearside on Tuesday after a successful loan spell at the League Two club.

The 23-year-old played most of his football under Michael Jolley but Holloway worked with him on the training pitch and watched him in three competitive fixtures after taking charge.

He is interested in bringing him back to the club later in the month but has backed him to stay at Sunderland and make an impression.

“Ethan has gone back to Sunderland,” Holloway said.

“I’ve spoken to Phil Parkinson and typical me, I told him how good I think the boy is.

“Phil hasn’t seen him yet. He’s out of contract in the summer but the boy is obviously from Sunderland and he believes he can play in their team.

“I have to be honest, I think he can,” he added.

“So I told Phil that, because he’s a good friend of mine and a proper man.

“So I gave [Ethan] an absolutely glowing report because I felt that he earned it from what I’ve seen.

“I can only be fair, so we’ll have to wait and see on that.

“I’m not rushing to do anything, I’d rather see what we’ve got first.”

Parkinson is set to assess Robson this week but also said on Saturday that there has been interest from other league clubs already about taking him on another loan.

“There have been other calls about his availability, but I want to chat with Ethan and have a look at him in the next week or so in training and decide where we go with him,” Parkinson said.

Parkinson’s midfield options are limited at the moment after Dylan McGeouch completed a move to Aberdeen on Tuesday.

Max Power and George Dobson have established themselves as his first choice midfield partnership, with Grant Leadbitter also a regular in the matchday squads.

WIth McGeouch absent with injury in recent weeks, however, U23 player Ruben Sammut has occasionally had to take a place on the substitute’s bench.