The three key items set to be discussed at Sunderland
Sunderland may be set for a break in League One fixtures – but that doesn’t mean behind the scenes business will ground to a halt.
The Covid-19 outbreak at the Academy of Light has seen the Black Cats’ next three fixture postponed, with the training ground now set to be closed until December 27.
But while on-field matters may be paused for the time being, there remains a host of other issues for the club to try and resolve during the forthcoming days.
So what will Stewart Donald, Lee Johnson, Kristjaan Speakman and the rest of the club’s staff be focused on during this period?
We take a look:
TRANSFERS AND CONTRACTS
Jo h n s o n wa s s et fo r a meeting with Jim Rodwell and Speakman this week as the club begin to look ahead to January.
And while the club's fixture schedule has been postponed until December 29, recruitment talks are likely to continue in the interim.
It’s not expected to be a particularly busy January – with much of that owing to the constraints of the League One squad and salary caps – but Johnson does have scope to bring in some new players.
As they were during the last winter window, pace and power are set to be two key attributes sought during the month and Johnson may well look to exploit the Under-21 market given they are exempt from the salary cap.
This period without fixtures may prove a good opportunity to further assess potential targets and hold some preliminary discussions over deals.
While nothing can be signed and sealed until the window opens on Saturday, January 2, there is nothing to stop Johnson and the Black Cats getting a head-start on their recruitment drive.
And this enforced break from fixtures may prove a unique chance to get a leg-up on other League One sides when it comes to adding to the squad in January.
There are also contractual
issues to consider, too.
Sunderland have over a dozen players out of contract in the summer, and the likes of Morgan Feeney on shortterm deals.
Talks may take place over extending some deals in January, should the Black Cats wish to remove the risk of losing some players for nothing come the summer.
THE OWNERSHIP SITUATION
By the time Sunderland return to training on December 27, it will be exactly a year to the day since the supporter-led #DonaldOut campaign began.
D o n a l d s u b s e qu e n t l y promised to sell the club but, as things stand, he will remain the club’s majority shareholder when the one-year anniversary of the campaign rolls around again.
Covid-19 and the uncertainty surrounding football and the financing of clubs has naturally been a mitigating factor in the drawn-out process, and we now know there arepotentialnewownerswait
ing in the wings in Kyril Louis- Dreyfus and Juan Sartori.
While the initially-proposed timeline for the deal being completed has come and gone, chief executive Jim Rodwell claimed last week that there remained a will on all sides to get the deal done – with some paperwork even lodged with the EFL.
And as the football-side of Sunderland’s football operation prepares for the shutdown, talks behind the scenes will continue in regards to the club’s ownership.
Supporters will be hoping to see a change in this regard in the near future, but the exact extent of that change remains unclear.
Hopefully, over the forthcomingdays,wecantakesome positive steps in this regard – and supporters can get the clarity they need in regards to the future direction of their club.
TACTICAL TALK
It’s fair to say that Johnson’s tactical ideas will differ greatly from those of Phil Parkinson.
Sunderland have already
shown some real improvements in their style of play since the appointment of the new head coach, but there is still a long way to go.
And while Johnson won’t be able to work with his players on the training field until December 27, he may well continue his drive to improve the side tactically during this break in fixtures.
Whether it be through video footage or other remote means, this could be a good chance for the new head coach to get the side clued-up on his tactical preferences and lexicon. But, as he’s said before, Johnson will be keen not to tactically fatigue his players too much.
K E Y O F F- F I E L D A P - POINTMENTS
Su n d e rl a n d m ay h ave made some key appointments in recent weeks – not least the arrivals of Johnson and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman – but there remains a long way to go.
The Black Cats still have some key vacancies that need filling, with the club still without a head of recruitment, academy manager and chairman.
And while the latter may not be appointed until a takeover of the club is complete, Sunderland are expected to continue with their drive to appoint some more key personnel.
Speaking shortly after his arrival, Speakman confirmed that the process to appoint a head of player recruitment was set to begin imminently and that hunt will continue during this period.
And the club may also look at addressing some of the other gaps in their structure during this gap in fixtures.
It’s also a good opportunity for Speakman to continue his drive to engage with the academy.
The sporting director held a call with academy parents shortly after his arrival and could use this opportunity to focus some more attention on the club’s youth set-up – given the first-team may take a back seat until December 27, at the least.