Freddie Ljungberg has praised Dan Ballard for his development and resilience after watching the defender establish himself in the Premier League with Sunderland, describing the former Arsenal academy player as a “special man”.
Ljungberg, who worked with Ballard during his time coaching in Arsenal’s academy, said he had always rated the centre back’s defensive qualities, even when others were less convinced, and pointed to Ballard’s attitude as a key factor in his progress.
“He is a special man,” Ljungberg said. “You know, you have a soft spot for players sometimes. Before I came in there, I had him with the 21s, some of them maybe didn’t rate him so highly.
“I was on the pitch for a bit and I was like, ‘I rate him’. He knows how to defend.”
Ballard, now 26, spent more than a decade at Arsenal after joining the academy aged eight but never made a senior competitive appearance.
He was twice released and brought back before earning a professional contract in 2018. He then went out on loan to Swindon, Blackpool and Millwall as he tried to build his senior career.
Ljungberg said what stood out was Ballard’s constant desire to improve and his willingness to seek guidance.
“When you spoke to him, he was like, ‘What can I do better? Can you help me with, like, sometimes I don’t really know when I come up in a pocket, what I should do here or there? Could you just help me?’
“Every day, he would ask me a question, wanting to get better.”
Ballard left Arsenal permanently in 2022 to join Sunderland for £2m and has since played his way into the Premier League, becoming a key figure for club and country as a Northern Ireland international with 33 caps and five goals.
His progress, Ljungberg said, was all the more impressive given the setbacks he had to overcome.
“He’s had injuries, he’s had massive injuries, setbacks, kept on fighting, had to leave Arsenal, go to smaller clubs, prove himself there,” he said.
Ljungberg added that Ballard’s character made him the type of player any coach would want around the squad.
“They said here, I think, he’s a legend here already. I want him in our dressing room every day of the week because he will do anything for you.”
Ljungberg, who won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups during his playing career at Arsenal and later served as interim head coach in 2019, was clear that Ballard’s journey was an example of persistence paying off after leaving north London to find a pathway elsewhere.
It’s hard to argue.