Black Cats failings infuriate skipper Lorik Cana

May 11 2010 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

SUNDERLAND skipper Lorik Cana has branded the Black Cats’ season a failure.

A campaign billed as a potential breakthrough for the Wearsiders ended in crushing disappointment at Molineux on Sunday, a 2-1 defeat by Wolves dashing hopes of a top-ten finish and exposing some familiar Sunderland failings.

Although there have been significant advances on Wearside this season – a home record that includes the scalps of Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal to the fore – Cana admits the balance sheet has tipped into the negative after a limp conclusion.

Sunderland have certainly been entertaining this term and Steve Bruce’s footballing philosophy has won favour on Wearside. But inconsistency wrecked their chances of the top-half finish that the club had targeted.

Among the room for improvements next year are Sunderland’s terrible disciplinary record, boosting their midfield goal threat and reversing an away record that has included 13 defeats.

A candid Cana, one of few to speak publicly after the defeat, admitted it was an “annoying” way to bring the curtain down.

“It has been a disappointing season for us. I don’t think it has been a great season, because a great season would have been to finish in the top half of the table and we haven’t done that,” he said.

“That was still possible before the start of the game on Sunday so we were very disappointed.

“Everybody is very annoyed to have finished like that, especially for the fans as there were thousands of them cheering us on at Wolves. We would not have taken 13th at the start of the season, if I am being honest. I think we are better than that.” Although disappointed, the Black Cats captain does believe that Sunderland possess enough quality to move forward decisively next season.