Former Black Cats striker Tore Andre Flo is thrilled to see Regis Le Bris' men back in the top flight
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Sunderland players celebrate with the trophy and promotion to the Premier League
Sunderland players celebrate promotion to the Premier League
(Image: Getty Images)
Former Sunderland and Chelsea striker Tore Andre Flo has expressed his delight at the Black Cats returning to the Premier League. The 52-year-old goalgetter played on Wearside in 2002 after spells at Chelsea and Rangers.
He says he is pleased for the supporters more than anything else after some tough years for the Black Cats faithful in League One.
“I am very pleased for Sunderland. I’m mostly pleased for the club and the supporters because as you said, there’s not many places where the supporters are so emotionally connected to the team," he said in an interview with bestbettingsites.com. "I saw the play-off games. That was the most exciting play-off I’ve ever seen
“How they scored in injury time in some of those games, and they fought really well. They didn’t go directly up, but still managed to come up. I’m very pleased for them and glad they came up.
"And then from now on, there’s a big job to do, I think, because the step is very big to get up to the Premier League. But they have done this before.
"They’ve been there, they have the fanbase, they have the stadium, they have the support. And yeah, I think they can do it.”
It’s a huge boost to go up through the play-offs, but what will next season bring for Sunderland? Is it going to be like the previous years for promoted clubs in terms of relegation straight away?
He added: “It’s been very hard, because in the last couple of seasons, all three of the promoted sides have gone straight back down. But I do have that feeling that this season could be very different.
"You have two very big clubs in Leeds and Sunderland and you’ve got Burnley, who played really good football under Scott Parker.
“At the very least, I don’t think it will be decided as early as it was this season. I think all these three clubs have a great chance of staying up, I really do. And especially for clubs the size of Leeds and Sunderland.
"They know what they need to do, and Burnley has got quite a bit of experience to be up there as well. So it’s three good clubs that have come up. I think between Leeds and Burnley, it was just goal difference, a very tight finish.
“I get the feeling that this could be the year where at least two of the three clubs stay up.”
Would he say Jamie Vardy is the right player to sign for next season given his experience?
“I do like Jamie Vardy,” he continued. “I think he’s a striker who’s always on the move, always pressing straight towards goal, and he’s got the speed and he definitely got the experience. So I really like him and I think it could be a good move.
"The question mark will be that, will he get a bit slower now that he’s getting older? He’s 38 now, but I think last season he showed that he’s still sharp.”