Babb: Reid's vision made me sign

Peter Reid’s summer rebuilding plans persuaded Phil Babb the time was right to return to the Premiership.

The 31-year-old Republic of Ireland international turned his back on Champions League football and his Double-winning Sporting Lisbon team-mates to become Reid’s first signing since the end of last season’s ill-fated campaign.

And although he admits the lure of English football’s top flight was enormous, it was Reid’s vision for the future which provided the final push he needed.

The Black Cats’ boss admitted at the end of the season that perhaps now was the time for his club to up the stakes in the transfer market after the struggles of the last year, and having made no fewer than eight of his first-team squad available for transfer last week, Reid is now ready to start the ball rolling.

Former Liverpool, Coventry, Bradford and Millwall defender Babb may not be the big name Reid’s critics have been looking for, but his pedigree is solid and the centre-half is confident that he will not be the last arrival before the new season kicks off.

‘‘I spoke to Peter yesterday,’’ he said. ‘‘We had quite a long chat and I think with the experience he’s got and the sort of players he’s looking to bring in, yes, it’s a draw.

‘‘But there are quality players in the team already and I think things can only get better for the club.

‘‘He’s going in the right direction. He’s very passionate about the new season and I think there might be one or two more surprises to come.’’

Babb was unveiled at the Stadium of Light today as Reid snapped him up out of the blue following his decision not to accept the offer of a new contract at Sporting Lisbon.

He has signed a three-year deal after leaving the Portuguese club on a Bosman free transfer.

The Lambeth-born player was named Portugal’s overseas defender of the year in his final season in Lisbon, and insists he is returning to England a better player than when he left during the summer of 2000.

‘‘The whole set-up, the training, the technical ability of the players in that league, you have to adapt your game,’’ he said.

‘‘Obviously, having a Premiership pedigree and adding some European quality to that as well, it’s definitely opened my eyes and I think I’ve learnt a lot.

‘‘I was coming to the end of my contract and it was great to win the double, but I think my decision had already been made that I wanted to return. That was just one piece in the bigger picture.

‘‘To win the Double, it was a fantastic time, a great club and great fans. It was a great experience for me playing with quality players and playing with Portuguese internationals.

‘‘Jardel is the top goalscorer in Europe and it was very good experince for me, and I think I’ve come back a better player.’’

Sporting’s Mario Jardel, Babb believes, helped him to hone his defensive skills on the training ground in preparation for opposition strikers, and he is confident that Kevin Phillips, like Michael Owen before him, will do the same.

‘‘Week-in, week-out, I’ve been marking Jardel in training, so that’s good training in itself and preparation for the Premiership, marking Europe’s leading goalscorer every day,’’ he said.

‘‘As a defender, you can’t ask for any better preparation. I had Michael Owen in my last year at Liverpool.

‘‘You’re learning things if you’re marking them week-in, week-out and it helps in the 90 minutes on a Saturday.’’

Babb has seen himself slip from the Republic of Ireland reckoning in recent years, but retains his burning desire to play for his country, although he was maintaining a diplomatic silence on the Roy Keane saga.

‘‘Mick (McCarthy) had his ideas about the players that he wanted in his squad,’’ he said. ‘‘I definitely would like to play for Ireland again, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

‘‘It will be good to kick my first ball in the Premiership again next season, and that’s what I’m focused on at the moment.’’

Asked about Keane, he replied: ‘‘I don’t think it’s for me to comment on that. Everyone’s got their opinions on it - I’ve got my own, but I’ll keep them to myself.’’