Benjani: Sunderland duo will be tough to oust
Benjani expects Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent to be just as difficult to oust at Sunderland as £60m duo Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez were at Manchester City.
The on-loan City forward got his first up-close look at Jones and Bent in the Black Cats' 1-1 home draw with Wigan on Saturday.
Deadline day signing Benjani had to wait until late in the game to win his debut as a substitute and boss Steve Bruce has said his strikers will get another chance to improve further on their 22-goal partnership at Portsmouth tonight.
Benjani said: "I need to play so I am pleased to be here and hopefully I will have more time on the pitch.
"There are a lot of good players at Manchester City and when that happens it can be very difficult – the only way forward is to work hard.
"It is the same here. You saw the performance of Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent on Saturday. They were very good.
"If they keep performing like this then it is going to be very hard to get into the team.
"Manchester City bought a lot of expensive players and so it was difficult to get time on the pitch, that is why I came somewhere else.
"The idea with this move is that I have to prove I can do something for the long term. If I do well I would like to stay here.
"It all depends on how I play. I am ready for the challenge."
Benjani's second game for Sunderland matches the Zimbabwe forward with the club that brought him to England four years ago.
The former Auxerre striker was a Pompey fans favourite but says he can't now dwell on the horrendous season they are having on and off the pitch.
He said: "I did well for Portsmouth and when I was there was a good time for me. I hope I can go back and play well for Sunderland now.
"Of course, I want my former team to be successful so I hope they come out of their problems. I wish them all the best but I am going back with Sunderland so if I play I will be trying to win."
Former Fratton Park team-mates have been quick to point out Sunderland's slide down the Barclays Premier League.
Benjani added: "I am still in touch with some of the guys at Portsmouth who I played with – David James, John Utaka, Kanu.
"Kanu was joking with me the other day saying, 'hey, you're with Sunderland – you're going to be down with us now. But I said it would not be like that."
Email to a friend
Print this page- Sunderland’s astonishing rise even surprising Martin O’Neill
- Sunderland striker Campbell fresh to face Middlesbrough
- Martin O’Neill defends David Meyler after criticism from Tony Pulis
- Derby train wrecked
- Middlesbrough 1 Sunderland 2 (aet): O’Neill relieved to avoid shoot-out lottery as Sessegnon wins it
- Sunderland striker Campbell fresh to face Middlesbrough
- Sunderland’s astonishing rise even surprising Martin O’Neill
- Middlesbrough 1 Sunderland 2 (aet): O’Neill relieved to avoid shoot-out lottery as Sessegnon wins it
- Martin O’Neill defends David Meyler after criticism from Tony Pulis
- Kieran Richardson says there is plenty more to come from James McClean
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sunderland
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South west
