Whilst coming through the ranks at Manchester United, the Sunderland skipper was sent on a three-month loan to this weekend’s opponents Bournemouth. O’Shea was called-up by Sir Alex Ferguson a few months after the treble was successfully completed in 1999.
O’Shea had made only 1 senior appearance for Manchester United in an inexperienced League Cup side but was faced with the opportunity of a three-month loan to Third Division side Bournemouth at the beginning of 2000.
O’Shea believed that Bournemouth made helped him greatly in the making of his career, in which he has amassed 5 Premier League titles.
“I had a fantastic experience down there in terms of football, the people. They really looked after me. I’ve only got positive memories.”The manager [Ferguson] sent me there to get an understanding of what it means to win games at that level, rather than just a reserve game. You see lads fighting for contracts, bonuses and that’s what it meant to their careers. It was a great leveller for me.”
O’Shea was then sent out for Royal Antwerp in the Belgium top division the following season. The loan system is a very good way of sending out youngsters, in order to get them first team football, something Sunderland have done over the recent seasons with Jordan Pickford. Sunderland play against both O’Shea’s and Jermain Defoe’s former side on Saturday.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to upset them on Saturday. We know it’ll be a good test because they’ve made a very good impact in terms of how they approach the game.”They don’t really sit back and settle for a draw. They really try to win games, which is how they finished the Championship season – scoring so many goals with that attacking threat. But hopefully we can use that to our advantage too”
Sunderland will be hoping for a performance similar to that of the weekend, and hope for their first 3 points of the season.
