“Struggling Sunderland Star Given Game Time Guarantee by Manager Regis Le Bris”

There are other players at Sunderland, such as Nazariy Rusyn, who has made six substitute appearances but hasn’t featured since early October, and Milan Aleksic, who is yet to make his debut despite being named on the bench for every matchday. The list of players waiting for more opportunities goes on, but one of the most unfortunate cases this season has been Dan Ballard. Injuries have severely limited him to just five Championship appearances so far, leaving the talented defender frustrated with his lack of game time.

Regis Le Bris has spoken out about Dan Ballard’s situation at Sunderland after a difficult season plagued by injuries. Ballard suffered a knee injury in the summer, which kept him out of the early part of the campaign, and then a separate ankle injury in September further delayed his return. He made his comeback as a substitute against Coventry City, but with Chris Mepham’s impressive form in Ballard’s absence, it appears the Northern Irish defender will have to fight for a spot in the starting XI.

Despite this, Le Bris reassured fans that Ballard remains an important player for Sunderland, stating that he will get his fair share of game time in the Championship this season.

Le Bris said: “We have spoken with Dan a lot. He struggled with his knee in pre-season and then he came back, not in his best match fitness I don’t think. It’s been a challenging period for him with the injuries, but we know what he can bring to the team. He’s an important player for us, and we’ll make sure he gets his opportunities as he continues to build up his fitness.”

The French manager added: “I think he’s in this situation right now and I’m still very confident for him, the level he will reach and how much he is going to help us. I don’t know when, but it is going to happen for sure. I like him and I like the player, and there are 31 games to play. He will play, for sure. If he can get some minutes for the national team, it will be good for us.”

Dan Ballard is set to feature for Northern Ireland during the November international break, with games against Belarus and Luxembourg in the Nations League. This break provides a valuable opportunity for Ballard to build up his match fitness after a challenging start to the season due to injuries. The 25-year-old has been a regular for his national team under Michael O’Neill, and with Trai Hume suspended for Sunderland’s upcoming Championship match against Millwall, Ballard could be a key figure in the Northern Ireland XI. Having made 70 appearances for Sunderland, Ballard is hoping to regain full fitness and form after a strong 2023/24 campaign where he made 43 appearances.