Everything was wrong at the club – Pienaar
Steven Pienaar has opened up about his ill-fated spell on Wearside and said ‘everything was wrong at the club’.
The former Everton midfielder reunited with David Moyes at the Stadium of Light but made little impact as the club suffered relegation to the Championship in the 2016-17 campaign.
And Pienaar has revealed he knew within the first few training sessions that major problems lay ahead, stating there was a lack of passion for the cause from some members of the squad.
“Everything was wrong at the club,” Pienaar told Planet Football. “Even when I went to trainwiththemforthefirstfew days, I could see there was no passion, no desire in the players’ eyes.
“You could feel that there wasnohungerforthemtofight for each other. When you walk out onto the field, you want to give everything.
“You don’t go half-hearted. Everyone could sense it. The club was in turmoil before Moyes took over.
“He couldn’t get enough players in that he wanted, but you have to work with what you’ve got in front of you.”
Meanwhile, Sunderland have been credited with an interest in striker Lyndon Dykes from Livingston.
Celtic, Rangers, Middlesbrough,Millwall,Wigan,Blackburn and Stoke are among the clubs linked with the striker, he is rated at £2million which will likely put an immediate stop to any reported interest from Sunderland.
*Gateshead stalwart JJ O’Donnell has confirmed that he will return to the club for a seventh season. Young midfielder Danny Greenfield and forwardRuairiKeatinghavealsoagreedtoreturntotheInternational Stadium next season.