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Lorik Cana has gone back in time to comment on the last season at Sunderland. The Albanian national team legend revealed to "Gazeta Express" his conversation with Granit Xhaka, where he told him what awaits him at Sunderland.
Sunderland now have Granit Xhaka who has a similar influence to what you once had. You and he have a long history, don't you?
I have known Granit's family for over 30 years. Granit and I come from the same background. Our families are from Kosovo. He is a good guy on the pitch and he is the same guy off it. As everyone can see, he is a great player. Before he came to Sunderland, we had a chat. He asked me about the club and I told him what I had experienced myself and what the challenges would be, because Sunderland is a team that has just been promoted and that needs to be rebuilt to respond to the level of the Premier League. I told him that at Sunderland, the passion is one of the best he has ever experienced.
You joined Sunderland from Marseille where Robert Louis-Dreyfus was in charge.
I spent years with Robert at Marseille. He was a wonderful man who was very passionate about football and very much in love with his club in Marseille. We had that shared love for that club. He wasn't just an owner. He was someone who really gave his heart and his finances. He had a lot to do, as you can imagine, but he was a wonderful person and we really missed him that year when I left Marseille. When I saw that Kyril had taken over at Sunderland, I was very, very happy because he has his father's mentality. I saw him grow as a boy and I really think he can go on to do very well.
What memories do you have of your time with Sunderland in the 2009-10 season?
It was only a year at the club, but it was very intense. Everything I discovered at Sunderland was what I expected. It is a historic club with a lot of passion and some of the most amazing fans. Not just in England, but in the world. I enjoyed every moment, but what I enjoyed most was every minute I spent on the pitch, especially those at the “Stadium of Light”.
Many of those moments on the pitch were spent with Lee Cattermole. The two of you complemented each other very well. What was it like playing alongside him?
He was amazing. Especially the way we were playing, because we were only playing with two in midfield, so you needed two profiles that could play Premier League football. That means in terms of energy and challenge, but also being able to play, in terms of controlling the game. We arrived at the same time and started the season really well. We worked together and when we were at our best, I think we were challenging everyone at that time, but then Lee had an injury that stopped him. However, that injury gave Henderson a lot of space.
When you left to go to Galatasaray, it came as a big shock. How did this move happen?
It happened that summer and it was a very quick decision. Sometimes you have to make decisions and at the time I thought it was the best thing to do and I had to make a decision very quickly. It didn't reflect what I had experienced at the club or the connection I had with the fans, because I had a great year with Sunderland. Sometimes in the winter I had some problems with injuries, but it was very short.
He played in many countries. What is different about playing in the Premier League compared to other countries?
I think it's the way he plays football. I'm not just talking about the style and what he does on the pitch, but the way he lives football here. All the passion of the fans. I didn't find that as much in other leagues, but at Sunderland you have people supporting you every step of the way, through the good and the bad. Whatever you do, they're there with you and that's a big difference.
You were back at Sunderland for the first time in 15 years when you were at the Villa game. You always keep an eye on it now, but have you always done that since you left?
Always. I always support all my former clubs and of course I follow Sunderland. I always look for their results and I want to know what's going on. Even when the club was down. When you love a club, you're always connected to that club.
What are you doing now?
I have a non-profit foundation, the Lorik Cana Foundation. This is something I started as a contribution to my country to help young people with sports and cultural heritage. I try to promote Albanian culture around the world and promote sports with young people. In our sports program we have an average of 500 to 600 children every year. I am the chairman of the board of the foundation, so it takes a lot of time. I also continue to do some television work and follow the Champions League with Albanian television. I have been doing this for eight years now and I also do some entrepreneurial work in different fields.
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