HUME COMFORTABLE IN PL

Whilst on international duty with Northern Ireland, Trai Hume is set to captain his country which reflects his continuous progression in football. Over the summer the right back was linked with some European clubs but instead signed a contract extension with us as we returned to the Premier League. Trai touched on the contract discussions and how our early start to life in the Prem has been...

GOOD START

“It’s not been too bad. We’ve won two from three and got six points and we need to keep it going. I'd like to say it's been difficult but obviously we've done quite well. We've haven't played any of the big boys yet, so it's been a nice start and I've always said I wanted to test myself at the highest level, so getting the chance to do that this season is a dream come true and hopefully I'll just keep playing games and keep being able to do it.”

CLIMBING THROUGH THE RANKS

“I think it's good for the group of players that have done it. Obviously you can sign for a Premier League club and it's still the same thing, you're still getting to play in the Premier League, but it does bring that extra bit of emotion into it that you've done it the whole way through. It does feel that wee bit better that you've helped Sunderland from where they were at in League One the whole way up to where we belong really. Our plan this season is to stay there and keep pushing on.”

INTERNATIONAL DUTY GOOD PREP FOR PREM?

“Probably in a way. I probably didn't really think of it that way, obviously playing against the likes of Denmark and Switzerland and obviously Germany on Sunday. I haven't really thought of it maybe affecting me in that way going into the Premier League, but now you say that it probably has helped me in a way to get used to the top players and that top level, how concentrated you have to be in your game for the whole 90 minutes. So, yeah, it probably has helped me in a way.”

NEW CONTRACT

“We were talking about the contract basically throughout the whole summer and we were just trying to get an agreement really. We obviously knew there was interest from other teams coming through but I've always said it and my mind was always to sign a new deal at Sunderland, so why do it any other way? Ever since I signed I've loved every second of it, and then helping the club up to the Premier League is obviously great and I want to represent them in the Premier League as well.”