Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has said that it is ‘difficult’ for midfielder Bradley Dack to show his leadership qualities.
Dack is currently on the sidelines after a few injury setbacks to his start to life in the North East.
Due to this, he has only made six appearances in the Championship for the Black Cats this season, scoring once and assisting once.
Mowbray on 29-year-olds ‘difficult’ start
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, Mowbray spoke on Dack’s injury and how he is finding it ‘difficult’ to be a big personality within the squad.
“Dack is a guy with opinions and yet if you’re injured and not ready to play in the team it’s very difficult to be a big personality.
“I know if Dack gets himself fit at some stage and is banging in goals every week he will really show leadership qualities, but at the moment it’s difficult to do that.”
Dack can become useful on and off the pitch
The 29-year-old has always been unlucky throughout his career with injuries.
He has suffered two injuries to his cruciate ligament, each time being out for nearly a year whilst at former club Blackburn Rovers.
They hampered his career massively, and stopped him from potentially being a key player for Rovers, and potentially stopping him from getting a move to the Premier League.
Despite being injured for two years, Dack still managed 57 goals in 173 appearances for Rovers from midfielder, which is incredibly impressive.
Dack will, when he eventually returns from injury, become at least a squad player for the rest of the season, and will provide healthy competition in the central midfield area for the likes of Jobe Bellingham and Dan Neil.
But at the age of 29, he is one of the older players in the Sunderland squad, and can then use his experience to lead the team through some difficult times they may have on the pitch.