Sunderland have made a dream start to the 2024/25 Championship season
Sunderland’s sports director Kristjaan Speakman indicated he is “really pleased” with the transfer window following a tumultuous final deadline day.
Under pressure to produce the goods alongside club owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, the 45-year-old duly achieved just that with a number of new acquisitions. The summer saw nine new recruits with Simon Moore, Alan Browne, Ian Poveda, Blondy Nna Noukeu, Wilson Isidor, Milan Aleksić, Chris Mepham, Salis Abdul Samed and Ahmed Abdullahi all going to Wearside.
The benefit is, only Browne has featured thus far in first-team Championship action as the club opened out their campaign with a blitz of victories.
Four victories from four sees the Black Cats sit proudly at the head of the pack and the departure of Jack Clarke seems like just a small inconvenience rather than the complete calamity everyone expected it would be. Add to the new boys the fact Dan Ballard, Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham signed new terms, it has been a wonderful spell for the Wearsiders.
Speaking to safc.com, Speakman reminisced on a summer of growth, discussed the club’s start to the campaign and much more.
“To be able to add the type of quality that we have into the starting XI and on the substitutes’ bench is really positive,” Speakman said. “We also couldn’t be more delighted with the team’s performance, and I’m really pleased for Régis [Le Bris, new head coach] to come in as a new coach, embrace everything about Sunderland and get off to such a positive start.”
Le Bris has shown himself to be a cool operator focusing exclusively on the players he has while ignoring the noise around who might come and go.
To win four games in those circumstances while playing a fast, aggressive game with the capacity to press high, far beyond most analysts’ expectations.
“We’ve always spoken about getting balance in the squad and that’s really important – we think the signings this summer have put us in a really positive place,” continued Speakman.
“The group is really competitive – we want to try to ensure we provide opportunities to our younger players, but at the same time, they have to perform and train at the right level.”
Speakman also stressed the importance of retaining the club’s finest talents and reasoned: “Jobe, Chris Rigg and Dan Ballard all signed new deals at the Stadium of Light this summer. Lots is made of the transfer window in terms of signing players. Even when other teams enquired about six or seven of our players, we were able to maintain our ground.
“We’re trying to build something, not tear something down. We will lose players, but the most important thing is that we keep getting stronger and growing.”
Speakman gave an explanation of the reasons behind the loan moves of a number of players. He continued, “The goal of all the loans is to try and advance the players.” It is an integral aspect of our work and a crucial component of their growth and development.
“We have to use some external teams to provide the right level and experience for every player; they will all be closely monitored.”
The next significant test for Le Bris’s team will take place on Saturday when they visit Plymouth Argyle, led by Wayne Rooney, in south Devon.
It will be intriguing to see who starts, as Dan Neil is back from suspension and appears set to replace either Rigg or Browne, despite the fact that both players played fantastically in the team’s 3-1 victory over Portsmouth last time out.
Read more updates at https://www.sportfiles2.com/
