Exclusive Interview: Van Aanholt confident Sunderland can bounce back under Moyes

It’s been another disappointing start to the season for Sunderland, but there is still plenty of hope on Wearside according to one of the team’s star players.
 
Patrick van Aanholt has become a key player for the side since sealing a permanent move from Chelsea in 2014, particularly in offering an attacking threat from wide. WhoScored.com has spoken exclusively with left-back on what has been an interesting and well-travelled career to date and the belief that remains at the Stadium of Light that the wins will come soon.
 
What do Sunderland need to do to haul themselves out of the relegation zone?
 
We have to stick together as a team, and I think we showed last season and the season before that we are capable of playing good football, so right now we need confidence and I’m sure we will start winning games. As soon as you start winning, people can believe again so makes it easier for us as players: right now we’re under a lot of pressure. I think the team is training hard, we stick together, we laugh as a team and the atmosphere is good: so we just have to win games, starting now and everything will be fine.
 
What tactical differences have been made between Sam Allardyce and David Moyes at Sunderland?
 
They are two different kinds of managers: Sam Allardyce likes to play behind and David Moyes likes to play football from the back. But they both always want to win: so I think the mentality of our team hasn’t changed; what has changed has been our style of football. The most important thing is that our will to win every match is the same.

You’ve scored more goals (5) than any other Premier League defender in 2016 – has your role developed at all to allow you to get into the final third more regularly than in the past?
 
Nowadays the philosophy of football is to attack and also the system we play gives us the chance to do so at the right moment. I think it suits me because it’s my strength. When I get in that situation I don’t hesitate, I just try to shoot on goal or to pass. If I shoot I am always confident that I can do something good for my team.
 
You boast WhoScored strengths of ‘key passes’ and ‘dribbling’ – is there more emphasis on full-backs to provide attacking thrust from deep then there was when you first starting playing professionally?
 
Yes, I think there is now. Nowadays we play an attacking system when the full-backs have to know how to treat the ball and they are much more involved in creating good attacking moves. As a full-back you have to be able to get up and down the whole pitch.
 
How did your numerous loan spells away from Chelsea affect your playing style?
 
I think that if I had stayed at Chelsea I would not have played as many games as I have until now. I have had many loan spells that helped me to understand the world of football and gave me the opportunity to grow up as a man. I’m thankful for all these experiences, because without them I would probably not be at the level I am today.
 
Do you think Chelsea’s current loan policy is beneficial to young players?
 
Of course, I think it’s good for every player in order to get to experience. Getting in the first team at Chelsea is really hard and we all know that, so you have to look for experience to play first team football and then go back to them. Then they will be able to see if you are ready for the first team. If you are ready, you will get a chance and if you are not ready you will be loaned again. I think it’s pretty fair.
 
At which club did you feel you developed your game best and which manager do you feel had the greatest influence on your career?
 
I think when I was in Holland with Fred Rutten at Vitesse I really became the player I am today. Last season Sam Allardyce also gave me support and helped me to improve my skills. I think they are the two managers that have helped me most in my development.

 
Having played in the Premier League, Championship and Eredivisie, how do the three leagues compare?
 
I don’t think you can compare the Eredivisie to the Premier League because while Holland is good for players to develop, the Premier League is the best, I think. That’s why I’m very glad to play here where you’ve got good teams, good fans and the atmosphere is unbelievable. I’d say the Championship it’s slightly harder than the Premier League: you play more games. You play Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday. So you play more often and it’s tougher in that sense. If you want to play football, if you want to be a star you have to start from the bottom, nice and easy, and that’s what I learned in Holland and what has helped me to get here.
 
What do you think about the fact that today the image of players and public perception is so important? You work with the agency Meet The Players to help manage your social networks, why is that?

I like to be involved in social media, but the risk is that it causes players to lose focus. They should focus more on football and then do other things. If you post something stupid, people will see it and it might affect you. So I think the guys at Meet The Players really help me with the social media side of things, helping me give more to my fans and to give them a real idea of who I am. They also look for opportunities to connect their players with brands for endorsements, and that’s modern football.

With the Dutch national team in a current slump, what needs to happen for the Netherlands to re-establish themselves as a dominant force in world football once more?
 
Paradoxically the answer is similar to the problem at Sunderland. Our national team has talented players, many of them are young and I think we only need to start winning games again.
 
As a youngster, which footballers were your idols growing up?
 
My idol at Chelsea was Ashley Cole. I’ve learned a lot from him and it was an honour to me to be with him at the club.

How important will Van Aanholt be to Sunderland's chances of survival this season? Let us know in the comments below