Lorik Cana was more serial killer than footballer, and everyone loved him for it. Lee Cattermole is a tenacious, battling, imposing force in the middle of the field, but Lorik Cana was the Grim Reaper of the midfield. Cold, cool, and ruthless, he was composed and insane in equal measures. Cattermole was raised on the war-torn streets of Stockton, but Cana essentially rode into town on the back of his Albanian war tank and blasted the life out of several shell-shocked midfielders. He was promoted to captain (commander) of the Sunderland troops during the 2009/10 season, though injuries and, of course, suspensions between him and Cattermole meant the pair only got to scheme together in limited patches, but what a glorious match they were. He shockingly departed for Galatasaray at the end of his first season for the same price that he'd been signed for, claiming that though he loved his time in Sunderland, Champions League football was too big to turn down. Cana could have been the backbone of the Sunderland team today if he'd remained, and at the very least the club could've squeezed out a profit from him.
What Culture contributor. NCTJ accredited Sports Journalist. Regret-filled Sunderland AFC season ticket holder. Optimism-filled NFL fan. Lover of all things Game Of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead & more.
