Substitution symbolised a changing of Cats’ guard
O’SHEA: TEEN’S DEBUT A SIGN OF CLUB’S BRIGHT NEW DAWN
JOHN O’Shea advised caretaker boss Robbie Stockdale to hand teenager Bali Mumba his debut as a symbolic gesture to show the future is looking brighter at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats have endured a terrible 24 months, suffering back-toback relegations which mean they will play League One football next season.
But they ended this season on a high, beating champions Wolves 3-0 at the Stadium of Light with impending new owner Stewart Donald watching on.
Not only that but the club’s bright young prospects were given the opportunity to showcase their potential, with the club finishing the game with six academy graduates on the field.
And the introduction of 16-year-old Mumba particularly turned heads worldwide, with the debutant taking the captain’s armband from O’Shea as he went on.
The veteran Sunderland skipper was praised for his gesture to Mumba on the day, and has now revealed that the youngster’s debut came from his own advice.
O’Shea told the club website: “Bali has come into training with the first team during the season and done very well.
“He is a 16-year-old who has come into that environment and not looked out of place, got plenty of knocks and kicks and tackles and bounced back up and showed a good attitude.
“I said to Robbie he would be the perfect example of what this club’s future is all about.
“It was a symbolic moment. That’s the future of the club, and lads like him really need to be looked after.
“Keeping the home-grown talent and bringing them through and developing them has to be the model they need going forward.”
O’Shea’s future is still up in the air with his contract up at the end of this month.
Until the takeover is complete and a new manager is in place, the Irishman won’t know if the club want him to stay.
Mumba, meanwhile, became the club’s youngest ever captain in the Wolves game, but yesterday he was at school where he began his GCSE exams.