‘He would have wanted’ - Paul Heckingbottom previews Alan Browne return and praises more ‘balanced’ Sunderland

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom feels that Sunderland summer signing Alan Browne will be disappointed with his lack of first team football since moving to the Stadium of Light.

The 37-time Republic of Ireland international spent 10 years of his career at Deepdale and racked up 377 league appearances for the club before moving to Wearside on a free transfer in July. 

The 29-year-old has appeared in 10 matches this season, making just four starts, with his other six appearances coming from the sub bench.

The midfielder had been offered fresh three-year terms by North End but he rejected that to join Sunderland, who he described as one of the ‘biggest clubs in England.’

Ahead of Browne’s emotional return to Deepdale, Heckingbottom told the Lancashire Post: “He’s been used in a lot of positions, he would have wanted to play more. But he’s in a team that’s playing really well so he’ll have to bide his time.”

Browne played the full 90 minutes in a 0-0 draw against Queens Park Rangers and is expected to keep his place in Jobe Bellingham’s absence due to suspension.

“I would expect Browne to go and play alongside Dan Neil but they have other players in that squad as well so I wouldn’t be surprised if they mix it up.”

Sunderland are top of the table with 29 points from 13 games, leaving them three clear of Leeds United and five clear of Heckingbottom’s former club Sheffield United in third. Heckingbottom describes Sunderland as a very different prospect to last season despite the sale of last term’s top scorer Jack Clarke.

“They were reliant on Jack Clarke. who was in fantastic form in terms of goal, assist and threats. But I think there’s a bit more balance to them, certainly without the ball.” Heckingbottom explained.

The ex-Blades boss added: “There’s good balance to their team, they have threats from both sides. It’s no as if they are reliant on one player, which means then the opposition can’t set up to deal with one threat, that type of thing.

“And I think they’ve had better balance without the ball and that’s been shown in the goal against as well that’s why they are up there on merit. Scoring lots of goals, keeping lots of clean sheets and having a really clear way that they wanna play.”

Sunderland have been transformed in recent months by the appointment of French boss Regis le Bris. Heckingbottom, like many in English football, was not familiar with the 48-year-old’s work in France, but says so far that he looks to be a perfect match for the Black Cats.

He said: “This is the first time I’ve watched any of his teams, how they play, how they perform. 

“Sunderland have a way of recruiting managers and coaches in a way that looks at their style, matches their personality and how they want to play. They have got it wrong a couple of times in the past which is evident.

“However, they are obviously really sure with this manager they have someone who wants to play the same way to how they see the game and want to develop players and so far they have got it right.”