Dan Ballard has revealed the seismic impact of Granit Xhaka’s arrival at Sunderland, crediting the Swiss captain’s relentless demands for lifting the newly promoted club into the Premier League’s top half fight.
Speaking to BBC’s Football Focus, the Northern Ireland defender didn’t hold back in his praise. “I was a bit surprised when we signed him. I didn’t think one person could affect the team the way he’s done,” Ballard admitted. “From minute one, the standards really rose. It’s kind of like, well if he’s got that amazing career and he’s still doing everything perfectly, why wouldn’t we?”
Xhaka, 33, joined from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer and was immediately handed the armband. His influence is seen as a key reason Sunderland sit eighth, just two points off the Champions League places, after Sunday’s pivotal 1-0 derby win over Newcastle.
“Literally everything, from the gym to the training pitch,” Ballard elaborated. “It can be cold and wet and he’s 100% focused. When some of us boys maybe aren’t putting that work in and you see him doing it, it’s unacceptable for us. It’s lifted everyone.” This new mentality is reflected in the stats: the Black Cats have won seven of their 16 league games, with notable results at Chelsea and against Arsenal and Liverpool.
Ballard’s own journey mirrors the club’s underdog spirit. A product of Arsenal’s academy while Xhaka was in the first team, he never made a senior appearance for the Gunners. “I wasn’t really the best player in my age groups,” he said. “I had to fight for every opportunity. It wasn’t smooth sailing.” That fight saw him become a promotion cornerstone last season and a Premier League regular now.
He also heaped praise on manager Regis Le Bris, whose tactical clarity has been transformative. “He’s been amazing. The way he plays and sets things out so simply… I’ve learned so much, probably more in the last year than all the years before. He’s made us a really strong, competitive team.”
The verdict is clear at the Stadium of Light. In Xhaka, they’ve found a standard bearer; in Le Bris, a tactical architect; and in players like Ballard, the willing disciples. It’s a blend that’s turning survival hopes into something far more ambitious.
