Retired Sunderland and Olympique de Marseille winger Boudewijn ‘Bolo’ Zenden sat down with Get French Football News to discuss two of his former teams. 

Sunderland have been one of the most impressive stories in the Premier League so far. Were you surprised at how well they’ve done? 

I’ve been very impressed and also surprised because they came up through the playoffs. When a team goes up, then the first and foremost objective is to stay up, and that’s a hard thing to do. They have spent some money in the summer, but that doesn’t guarantee you results and good football. It needs time to gel. They’ve had a great start to the season, and they’re well on their way to being safe.

It sounds strange, but there was a time when you needed 30-34 points to be safe. I think they have 26 now or something. So you could suggest they’re [close to being] safe somewhere halfway through the season. It may also be a fact that when teams play Sunderland, they’re also a little bit surprised by the quality they face.

They’re making a name for themselves. That will make it harder for them going into the second half of the season. Teams will set up slightly differently for them. And if they finish in the top half of the table, which you know is a top ten position, that will be a massive season for them. More than anyone would have expected. If they drop a bit and are still safe, then it will still be a massive season for them. 

What did you make of the Tyne-Wear derby on the weekend, and what was your impression of it as a player at Sunderland?

It’s a game that people are always looking forward to. It’s not always quality-wise the best games you’ll see because there is so much heart and passion in it; sometimes the mind loses it a bit. I believe there was a time whenever a Sunderland player put in a tackle, the crowd would start cheering.

It’s good that they got the result [1-0 win], but if you look at it from a different perspective, if you look at the statistics, the game was fairly equal. It could have gone both ways. The goalkeeper at Sunderland, Robin Roefs, did quite OK, he needed to get a few saves in there. As I said, it was an equal game. A positive one for the Sunderland fans, [especially] after so many years. It’s been so long since they’ve played this Tyne-Wear derby that everyone was really eager and fired up for this game. You saw the celebrations and the whole atmosphere before the game. The Stadium of Light was lit.

It was a special day, especially for the Sunderland fans. And now [the fans] are saying maybe Sunderland finishes above Newcastle in the Premier League. I don’t think that’s the most important thing to take from this game. As I said, Sunderland already is having a successful season; whatever happens next isn’t so important as long as they stay up. 

Marseille has a lively reputation, particularly when it comes to football. Can you tell me a bit about your experience of playing for Marseille?

I enjoyed it very much being there for two seasons. I really enjoyed playing for Marseille. When things are going well, it’s amazing to be there, and when things aren’t, it can be a bit more difficult for a player. They’re obviously very demanding, very passionate; it’s a lively place. I’ve been lucky enough to visit it over the last few years. When I played, they hadn’t closed the rooftop yet, so now it’s closed, and the fans are very loud and lively. It’s something I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, I finished 3rd and 2nd. I would have really liked to have won the league with Marseille. They actually won it the season I left, ending an 18-year wait. It’s a special place to be, and it’s a real passionate and vibrant football environment. 

Boudewijn Zenden was speaking exclusively to Get French Football News on behalf of Casino Beats.