Lorik Cana can't wait for next campaign

May 5 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

LORIK Cana has relished the challenge of a first year in English football and expects he will be able to offer even more to the team next season after adjusting to life in a new country.

Cana has already proven to be a shrewd signing by manager Steve Bruce and the Sunderland skipper is looking forward to an exciting future on Wearside after a successful start to his career at the club.

The Albanian international began in scintillating fashion and, despite a mid-season dip as the physical and mental demands of the Premier League took their toll, he will be an integral part of Bruce’s plans moving forward. The former Marseille star said: “I haven’t been surprised by the standard – everybody knows this is the best league in the world.

“All the teams are really good and all the best players want to be in this league.

“It can be tough for foreign players in their first season. It depends on the player and their mentality. How is the rest of your life? How do you get on with your team-mates, the fans and everything?

“It is different for every player but, for myself, I have really enjoyed myself since the start of the season.

“I have a great relationship with everyone here – my team-

mates, the fans and the manager. Everything has not been perfect because there have been some hard moments for the team and myself, but I think it has been a good season and something to build on for the future.

“It has not been easy, but it looks as though we will finish in the middle of the table.

“Our goal was to finish in the top half and we can still do that. It has been a season of ups and downs, but I think we have to be happy at the end.”

Albania never came close to qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa, but Cana is well-placed to give his verdict on who deserves to be among the favourites to win it.

Having spent the majority of his playing career in France, Cana has a natural affinity for Les Bleus, but he also believes that England will reach the semi-final stage at the very least.

He said: “I will be watching the matches on television. I went to the tournament when it was in Germany, but I think South Africa is a bit too far to travel.

“I will definitely watch though. It is the biggest sporting competition in the world. It is going to be hard for me to play in it, but you never know.

“I have a lot of friends in different countries who are playing in this competition and I wish them all the best.

“I know a lot of the France players, so I will be supporting them above everyone. I will also try to watch Paulo (Da Silva) and John Mensah and see how they do.

“Who is going to win it? It is hard to look past Spain. They have a fantastic team and won the European Championships, but it can sometimes be hard to follow that with another win because everyone expects you to do well.

“They deserve to be favourites, but it is not always easy to be the favourites in the competition. Everybody is looking at you.

“Brazil will always be there. Nobody is talking about France – especially the Irish – but I think they will be good outsiders.

“As for England? I think they will be in the top four and make the semi-finals. After that, you never know, it comes down to small details.

“But I think they will reach the semi-finals and people in this country deserve some success. They have been waiting a long, long time.”