When Phil Neville left Manchester United to sign for Everton back in the summer of 2005, he left Old Trafford with tributes flooding in to praise his contributions on and off the pitch.
While stiff competition for places had forced Neville into a backup role during his latter years at the club, it did little to diminish his status as a respected team-mate and fan favourite.
Sir Alex Ferguson said: “You couldn't meet a better professional and he leaves with the gratitude of everyone at the club for his service to United.”
Brother Gary echoed those sentiments, adding: “Everton got themselves one of the deals of the season when they signed Phil. There is not a more dedicated, committed professional out there.”
This summer, Sunderland's double swoop for John O'Shea and Wes Brown has been met with the same plaudits from former employers and team-mates. Now the duo must hit the ground running if they are to lift Sunderland to new heights. They will bolster a shaky Black Cats defence, bringing experience and versatility. Having played alongside some of the best defenders of the Premier League era, their know-how and leadership will be critical.
Sir Alex Ferguson said: “You couldn't meet a better professional and he leaves with the gratitude of everyone at the club for his service to United.”
Brother Gary echoed those sentiments, adding: “Everton got themselves one of the deals of the season when they signed Phil. There is not a more dedicated, committed professional out there.”
This summer, Sunderland's double swoop for John O'Shea and Wes Brown has been met with the same plaudits from former employers and team-mates. Now the duo must hit the ground running if they are to lift Sunderland to new heights. They will bolster a shaky Black Cats defence, bringing experience and versatility. Having played alongside some of the best defenders of the Premier League era, their know-how and leadership will be critical.
Ferguson sung the praises of both, pointing to their attitudes and loyalty as well as the stack of silverware they won at Old Trafford. He also suggested that they will be perfect characters to lead by example in the Sunderland dressing room.
Sure, neither can command a starting role for a title-chasing team but do not be fooled into thinking that the pair have little left to offer. Sunderland boss Steve Bruce knows a thing or two about defending and his input will breathe new life into the careers of O'Shea and Brown.
And the United factor should rub off on the rest of squad throughout pre-season, just as it did at Everton when Neville set the tone. It starts with the commitment on the training ground with the willingness to put in the extra hours and hold others accountable but it will not take long to translate to the pitch. After all, the Old Trafford experience teaches harsh lessons.
Like Neville at Everton, the hunger should be bordering on starvation for O'Shea and Brown. Hunger to prove a point, to relaunch their careers and to return to the footballer's bread and butter - regular first team action.
Sure, neither can command a starting role for a title-chasing team but do not be fooled into thinking that the pair have little left to offer. Sunderland boss Steve Bruce knows a thing or two about defending and his input will breathe new life into the careers of O'Shea and Brown.
And the United factor should rub off on the rest of squad throughout pre-season, just as it did at Everton when Neville set the tone. It starts with the commitment on the training ground with the willingness to put in the extra hours and hold others accountable but it will not take long to translate to the pitch. After all, the Old Trafford experience teaches harsh lessons.
Like Neville at Everton, the hunger should be bordering on starvation for O'Shea and Brown. Hunger to prove a point, to relaunch their careers and to return to the footballer's bread and butter - regular first team action.
All in all, Sunderland should get exceptional value for the £8 million spent on the defensive duo. Add O’Shea and Brown to the bunch of new faces already signed this summer – Ahmed Elmohamady, Connor Wickham, Craig Gardner, Ji Dong-won, Keiren Westwood, Roarie Deacon and Sebastian Larsson – and the magnitude of Bruce’s Sunderland facelift is apparent.
The loss of Darren Bent mid-season derailed the Black Cats last term and the loss of the emerging Jordan Henderson leaves a hole in midfield – but Sunderland might yet emerge as a stronger, deeper squad after a turbulent seven months. Keep an eye out for O'Shea and Brown replicating the “Neville effect” as the new season begins in a month’s time.
The loss of Darren Bent mid-season derailed the Black Cats last term and the loss of the emerging Jordan Henderson leaves a hole in midfield – but Sunderland might yet emerge as a stronger, deeper squad after a turbulent seven months. Keep an eye out for O'Shea and Brown replicating the “Neville effect” as the new season begins in a month’s time.
Tom Oldfield
Hope they go down. Man u rejects. jp
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