Cana issues battle cry

Sunderland captain calls for character

Last updated: 5th December 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Cana issues battle cry

Cana: Determined

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Sunderland captain Lorik Cana has highlighted the importance of playing with as much passion as possible.

The Albanian has emerged as a fans' favourite at the Stadium of Light following his summer move from Marseille.

He has produced a series of dynamic displays in the heart of midfield and admits he prides himself on his levels of determination.

Cana feels the Black Cats must continue to approach games with the right spirit if they are to maintain their fine start to the Premier League season.

"If Sunderland were an army going into battle, the biggest quality for this team, especially for the North-east, is the heart," he told the Daily Express.

"We play with passion and we attack very well.

"My biggest quality is that I play with the heart. My determination and enthusiasm have helped me to succeed.

Mentality

"English players are very good at that and you can see now that in the Premier League there are a lot of foreign players who bring in their own qualities but must try to take this mentality and become a better player.

"By mentality, I mean passion and trying to instil the fighting spirit - all those kind of things which are the characteristics of English football."

Cana demands the utmost from his team-mates in terms of effort and has assured supporters they will always see him give it 100 per cent.

"Passion is something I experienced at Marseille and a fighting spirit is something I had when I started playing football, but the most important thing is to bring it to every game you play and to always give the best of what you have," he said.

"Sometimes players have a lot of other qualities but maybe not so much heart or spirit. For me, this is the biggest part of my play.

"That is why I try to keep it and show it all the time. That is what I expect from everyone."