BARDO ON SAFC SO FAR
Former Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley shared his thoughts on how Sunderland need to adapt to the demands of European football, how he enjoys watching Brian Brobbey play and why both North East teams are strugging at the minute. Phil spoke to us via Compare.bet.
NORTH EAST TEAMS
"Looking at it from Newcastle's point of view, there's been a lot of change up there also. They've lost personnel and key players, but the team looks settled under the new manager despite a tough result against Coventry. The players brought in are finding their feet, and the gap between the teams is closing, Sunderland coming up from the Championship and getting into Europe is amazing. Newcastle have had Champions League football recently, but now Sunderland have the chance to shine on both the European and domestic fronts."
FIXTURE PILE-UP
"The fixture load and demands will be where Sunderland struggle. The start of the season is okay because you're eager to get going, and the buzz of European football carries you. But it gets tough when you're playing Thursday-Sunday-Thursday-Sunday alongside the FA Cup and League Cup. They've started okay and their European campaign got off to a positive start, but these winter months will really test them."
FAN SUPPORT
"The fans have been outstanding over the last 18 months, and they need to stick with the team through tough weeks where they might lose a couple of games back-to-back. The manager has done a great job."
AIMS FOR THIS YEAR
"I believe the squad is good enough to compete. Do I think they'll finish in the top half of the Premier League? Probably not. But if they have a good run in Europe and stay comfortably mid-table in the Premier League, it will be another really good season."
EUROPEAN AMBITION
"Sunderland can win the Europa League. Having said that depends on how the manager prioritises it. You want to do as well as you can in Europe, but he'll have one eye on the Premier League, that's the bread and butter and the most important thing. Retaining Premier League status is where everyone wants to be. But they should enjoy this European journey for whatever it brings. They deserve it. The players have worked extremely hard to get to a point that probably seemed a distant memory a year ago. Finishing in Europe was an incredible achievement. But for them, the focus should be to enjoy the European journey while keeping the Premier League as the main priority."
"I love Brian Brobbey. I've said it time and time again. I can't believe how much I enjoy watching him for Sunderland. I'd imagine he's generating interest from other clubs with the way he plays. He's a throwback centre-forward, you get the ball into him, he pins defenders, runs in behind, and scores goals. Every team is crying out for goalscorers, and he does that in abundance. He's growing into the role. It wouldn't surprise me if there's interest from other clubs given his standards. When you look at players who make a huge difference in games, he's one of them. He holds the ball up, brings others into play, and adds goals. Hopefully he can stay fit, continue doing that, and finish the season strong. He's an outstanding player."
BROBBEY INJURY
"Sometimes you realise how good a player is when they're not playing, and that's true in his Brian Brobbey’s case. Isidor has come in and shown glimpses of his quality, but having a focal point who can hold the ball up, bring others into play, and pose a threat from set pieces is a big loss when missing. I imagine they're working behind the scenes to get Brobbey back as quickly as possible. I haven't heard a timescale, but it looks like a muscle injury. As much as he and the club want him back, they need to be careful because the fixture schedule is so demanding. Rushing him back wouldn't be ideal for anyone."
TRANSFER SPECULATION
"At this point in his career and the season, I think staying at Sunderland is best for Brian Brobbey’s development. He's at a great age to make a name for himself. He has plenty of time to move to bigger clubs later on, but right now it's the perfect environment for him to enjoy his football. You can see it in his performances, he loves playing there and is adored by the fans. Right now, it's the perfect place for him to play his football."
