Sunderland took the Premier League by storm last season. The Black Cats are preparing for a Europa League campaign after finishing seventh in the table, and some have questioned whether they have the squad capable of dealing with the demands of extra midweek games. The second season in the top flight is sometimes harder than the first, with sides having 'worked out' tactics, although Sunderland will be confident of repeating their achievements.
Phillips Backs Sunderland to Cope
Wearside goalscoring hero Kevin Phillips was delighted to see his old side perform so well last term and is excited about what the future can bring. However, he admits Le Bris and Co will face new challenges and has urged the Black Cats hierarchy to continue to back their head coach when it comes to bringing new faces to the Stadium of Light.
"It's always a huge debate up here whether the fans would want to get into Europe or not because it could affect their Premier League season," Phillips told BestBettingSites.co.uk. "I've said all along that I think it'd be a great experience for the club to get there, especially for the fans, so obviously for the players as well, who haven't played in Europe.
"The second season in the Premier League is always the toughest test because everybody knows about you, knows what to expect at the stadium, knows how the team plays, and how the majority of the time they set up. So it's always a lot more difficult. But then you throw Europe in the mix as well, it becomes even more because of the schedule of games, the travelling, etc.
"Now, we all know you have to have a bigger squad to challenge on both fronts. So the club know that. I'm hoping we're going to see a few, not loads of signings, certainly not like last season, but I would imagine you're probably going to see another five or six players come through the door because you need a decent-sized squad to challenge.
"So it'll be tough, but ultimately they've shown this season that they're capable of certainly winning games in the Premier League. Now, can they go and do that in Europe? I don't see any reason why they couldn't. So it's exciting. It's exciting times."
Phillips' Own Experience
Phillips was part of Peter Reid's Sunderland side which twice finished seventh in the Premier League in 2000 and 2001, although that was not enough for a European place in those days. He scored an incredible 121 goals in 227 appearances for the club from 1997 to 2002 before joining Southampton.
Sunderland can cope with the extra expectations their stunning first season back in the Premier League will bring AND their new European commitments, but only if they continue to back Regis Le Bris in the transfer market.
