Former team-mate opens up on meteoric rise of Sunderland star as Fulham boss lands Benfica role
The latest news from Sunderland as a former team-mate of Dan Ballard praises the defender for his progress in recent seasons.
A former team-mate of Sunderland defender Dan Ballard has admitted he didn’t expect the Black Cats star to embark on a meteoric rise during his career when he earned senior experience during a loan spell in League One.
The former Arsenal centre-back earned his first senior experience during loan spells with Swindon Town, Millwall and Blackpool before making a permanent move to the Stadium of Light during the summer of 2022. Since then, Ballard has made over 120 appearances for Sunderland and played an integral role in helping Regis Le Bris’ side land a return to the Premier League and cause one of the stories of the season by securing a spot in next season’s Europa League with a seventh placed finish in their first year back in the top flight. Ballard has also become a key figure at international level and earned his 33rd cap when Northern Ireland fell to a 1-0 defeat against Slovakia in November last year before injury limited his involvement with Michael O’Neill’s side.
Former Blackpool team-mate Marvin Ekpiteta has reflected on Ballard’s rapid progress at club and international level and expressed his delight over watching the defender go from strength-to-strength.
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When asked if he saw Ballard’s rapid rise coming, he told The Blackpool Gazette: “Not initially. I don’t think anyone would’ve seen it initially, but as he got more confident and started playing more games, he got better and better. You could start to see there was something in him. One thing I liked about Dan - he was always willing to learn and improve.
“When he came to us, he hadn’t really played much first-team football, and he’d had a big injury that had hindered him. It took him a bit of time to get going, but once he played a few games, he smashed it and hasn’t looked back since. I’m really happy for him. He just takes any challenge in his stride and excels.
“As defenders, dropping down does help with a side of your games that you need. Dan is a really aggressive defender - he’s not old school, but he’s big and strong, so playing in the lower leagues has helped to use that side in the Prem. That journey is perfect for any young defender watching. He learnt the game from a physical stance and has kicked on now.”
Former Fulham boss lands Benfica role
Marco Silva achieved something no other Premier League manager could achieve last season when his Fulham side racked up a league double over Sunderland. The Cottagers claimed a 1-0 home win against the Black Cats in November before a Raul Jimenez brace helped Silva’s men to a 3-1 win at the Stadium of Light four months later. Those results ensured Fulham ended the season in eleventh place in the Premier League table and Silva’s progress at Craven Cottage has now earned him a move to Portuguese giants Benfica.
The now-former Fulham boss was officially confirmed as successor to Jose Mourinho on Tuesday after the three-time Premier League winner moved a step closer to returning to Real Madrid after the La Liga club triggered a clause in his Benfica deal.
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