Sunderland in the Europa League is 'going to be beautiful' - says former striker Jozy Altidore
Sunderland will compete alongside the likes of AC Milan, Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen in this season’s Europa League.
A former Sunderland striker has expressed his delight over watching his old club qualify for the Europa League - despite enduring a difficult period during his own spell on Wearside.
Just over 13 years have passed since the Black Cats completed a reported £8m deal to secure the services of United States international Jozy Altidore from Dutch club AZ Alkmaar. Although there were high hopes for the striker, Altidore struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League and scored just three goals in 52 appearances in all competitions before departing for MLS outfit Toronto FC just 18 months later in a deal that brought Jermain Defoe to Wearside. Since then, Altidore has featured for Mexican club Puebla and MLS side New England before retiring earlier this year.
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Despite his obvious disappointment over failing to make a big impact during his spell at the Stadium of Light, Altidore has kept a close eye on his old club as they have risen from League One into the bright lights of the Premier League and believes it is ‘going to be beautiful’ to see Sunderland competing alongside the likes of Juventus, AC Milan and Olympique Marseille in the Europa League during the upcoming season.
He told Hard Rock Bet: “I’ll tell you man, I went to Sunderland at a very confusing time. There was a lot going on in my life where football wasn’t the most important thing. But out of everywhere I’ve played, there’s nowhere that captivated me like the North East. It will always stick with me.
“The fan support, the amount of fans that would come to support, whether it be training, whether it be pre-season, it was wonderful. It’s a massive club. And I cannot wait to see the scenes. I think people will be impressed. It’s some of the best fans in the world. They’re going to celebrate this all season. Congratulations to Sunderland. I cannot wait to watch you in Europe. It’s going to be beautiful to see the Black Cats on the world stage.”