Paul McShane accepts he struggled in his first season at Sunderland.
"It has been a steep learning curve over the last three months or so to see how the game works. I have also had the chance to just sit back and look at our team and look at other teams play.
"I have become stronger from it. It's not a nice thing to do, but that's the way it was.
"It started very well and I was really enjoying it. Then I found myself out of the team in January and I didn't really get back into it.
"That's football for you, it happens. I did everything to get myself back in, but it didn't happen.
"But chin up, we go again next season."