"He knows that that summer trip for him is very much in his sights so he needs to come back into the team, do his stuff, and score his goals," says Alan.
"He could be on the plane to the European Championships with a promotion medal in his pocket - that is what I hope and I am certain that is what he wants.
"I'd be surprised if he gets a promotion medal anywhere else!
"No one is going to be able to touch him in this division."
Jermain's imminent return is not the only piece of good news for Alan, who expects one or two more players to return to action against Sunderland.
"We are on the verge of getting two or three back; Matthew Etherington trained this week and Rob Lee is feeling better, which is a big plus for us.
"I expect Matthew Etherington to be there Saturday, Jermain is coming back from suspension, and maybe Neil Mellor will be fit as well.
"Just those three names will be a massive boost and Rob Lee could be in there as well.
"Lomy has trained as well and it is up to the players to perform against Stoke to keep their jerseys because there is some serious competition for Saturday.
"It is a big week for us, make no mistake about that; a win against Stoke will put us in the top six and then we will have a chance on Saturday to make an impression on one of the contenders," he says.