'It's about who handles the occasion'
Former Sunderland striker Michael Bridges believes that Sunderland's play-off final against Sheffield United on Saturday (15:01 BST) will be decided by which team can cope with the pressure of Wembley.Although the 46-year-old thinks that boss Regis Le Bris will play a large part in how his young squad react to the final."It's about who is going to get down there and handle the occasion," Bridges told BBC Radio Newcastle."As soon as that whistle blows and the white line fever kicks in, all the noise switches off. You go back into your world."I think from Regis Le Bris and what we've seen from the lads this season, everything that has been thrown at them, they have handled."Le Bris might be a quiet man but I think the lads have been nurtured in the right way and that's why I think they are geared up to do something very special."However, Sunderland have the youngest starting XI across the entire Championship and Bridges admits that inexperience played a part in his own play-off journey.During the 1997-98 season, Bridges reached the First Division play-off finals with the Black Cats; however then boss Peter Reid chose not to include him on the substitutes' bench."I was really nervous when I got to Wembley for the first time and I was a youngster as well," Bridges added."As much as I loved entertaining, I think the pressure got to me and Peter Reid recognised that and I had to sit that one out."Listen to the full interview and more on the Total Sport podcast.
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