Paolo Di Canio: “He’s part of my plans.
“Anything can happen, not just with Sess, John O’Shea, anybody.
“But with what I’ve seen from him during the summer, we’ve now got a good footballer.
“I don’t want to say he’s becoming joker.
“But he’s speaking at the table when they’re having lunch and making a joke.
“That proves that there’s been a change.
“It is not because of Paolo Di Canio. It’s because of the environment we’ve changed.
“It’s helped people to push out, and relate with the others, and show their personality.
“He is never going to be the most open man in the world because he is shy, but with his team-mates, he is open.
“Before when I tried to speak to Sess five minutes after training, someone would say ‘he’s gone’.
“He would have a quick shower and go.
“Now the fact he spends time with the others, you can see, that he’s having fun, and that will help on the field.
“You can see how he’s participated in the games. He’s another player.”
Sunderland Premier League Fixtures
Saturday August 17
15:00 Premier League Sunderland v Fulham
Saturday August 24
15:00 Premier League Southampton v Sunderland
Saturday August 31
17:30 Premier League Crystal Palace v Sunderland
Saturday September 14
15:00 Premier League Sunderland v Arsenal
Saturday September 21
15:00 Premier League West Brom v Sunderland