Marco Gabbiadini has revealed what he thinks of Sunderland captain Luke O’Nien following the conclusion of the 2023/24 season.
A 16th place finish and three different managers means that the 2023/24 Championship season is one to forget at Sunderland.
Although it’s stability in the second tier, it’s not enough. The Black Cats were challenging for the top six once again this season until the Sunderland owners made the decision to sack Tony Mowbray.
Michael Beale arrived in December but would last just 12 games; the second-shortest stint of any Sunderland manager, with Mike Dodds then coming in but arguably making matters worse.
And O’Nien has been a key talking point, especially towards the end of the season. He’s received both praise and criticism from supporters, but Gabbiadini says the 29-year-old has had a ‘strange’ end to the campaign.
Marco Gabbiadini confused by Luke O’Nien ‘antics’
Speaking on Total Sport, Gabbiadini questioned whether or not O’Nien truly grasps the mood among Sunderland fans right now.
He also said that the Englishman was lucky not to be sent off against Sheffield Wednesday after handling the ball in the build up to the second goal, coming after O’Nien deliberately handled the ball against Watford in the game before.
Gabbiadini said: “I think Luke, although he’s very enthusiastic, but whether he understands how fans are feeling right now, I don’t know.
“It’s difficult… I thought he was lucky on Saturday; the second goal, he slid in and the ball hit his hand, he handballed it really, and it was another one of those moments, those Luke O’Nien moments.”
Gabbiadini added: “It’s been a bit of a strange end to the season, some of his antics. But I think he’ll come back stronger next season.”
Why Luke O’Nien could face a contested summer at Sunderland
It’s certainly been a mixed season for O’Nien at Sunderland. But 43 league appearances in an unnatural centre-back position shows that he’s played an important role once again.
He’s certainly had some poor spells, though. And like Gabbiadini says, he got quite lucky in the last two games following two clear handballs, the Watford incident clearly more cynical.
But at 29 years old, O’Nien certainly seems to be out of the age range of players that Kristjaan Speakman wants at Sunderland.
Then with names like Dennis Cirkin, Aji Alese, Niall Huggins (albeit full-backs) and then Jenson Seelt still to come back from injury, with Sunderland surely set to bolster the defensive ranks this summer anyway, it could mean O’Nien playing a back-up role at times next season.
And a 29-year-old back up player certainly isn’t very Sunderland. So for O’Nien, after a mixed season, there could be a contested summer ahead.
Right now though, there seems to be no intention from the club to move him on. And in O’Nien they have someone who genuinely cares about the club and can play in a few different positions too, so he’s a useful player to have.