Luke O’Nien reflects on his position as a centre-back for Sunderland and the team’s defensive performance during the 2023/24 season. He acknowledges that Sunderland’s defensive statistics this season are commendable but believes there is still potential for improvement.
Throughout the 2023/24 campaign, the 29-year-old O’Nien started 43 league games at centre-back, frequently captaining Sunderland and often partnering with Dan Ballard. Other key defenders, including Dennis Cirkin, Jenson Seelt, and Aji Alese, also contributed to the backline but faced injury challenges during the season. Despite these setbacks, Sunderland achieved the fifth-best defensive record in the Championship, trailing only Leicester, Leeds, West Brom, and Bristol City in terms of goals conceded. Discussing his role, O’Nien expressed pride in the team’s defensive achievements, highlighting the collective effort of his teammates like Ballard, Cirkin, Seelt, and Alese. He emphasized the importance of their strong defensive statistics, which ranked them among the top five in the Championship. However, O’Nien also stressed the need for continued improvement, aiming to elevate their defensive performance even higher in the coming season.
O’Nien also spoke about the valuable contributions of Graeme Murty, the under-21s boss and former Premier League defender, who stepped up to assist the first team at various points during the season. O’Nien credited Murty with significantly enhancing his game both on and off the pitch, stating that the improved defensive stats reflected Murty’s positive impact on the team. He underscored the importance of maintaining this collaboration to further develop their defensive capabilities.