Sunderland AFC look to rebuild for another year in the English top flight. With the whirlwind of last season behind them, one which brought both tears of joy and despair, narrowly escaping the black hole of relegation, had them fighting for the entirety of the season.
The Mackems have made a promising start to this summers transfer window, bringing in three Premier League proven players on free transfers, one, Costel Pantillimon, with a Premier League winners medal to his name. Jordi Gomez and Billy Jones are the two other signings, who have both accumulated valuable premier league experience. The most notable and possibly the most important signing is that of Manager Gus Poyet who has signed a contract until 2016, which brings much delight to many Sunderland supporters who refer to him as a’Miracle Worker’. Although most Black cats followers will be hoping that there will be no need for a miracle next time round.
The question now, for most Sunderland fans is, how do we prevent the horrors of last season occurring again? With such a small budget and the increasing need for strength in depth, which they clearly lacked last season, it’s hard to see where they’ll be able to get the quality that is so desperately required.
In hindsight, their downfall last season was buying quantity rather than quality, therefore Gus Poyet must ensure this fatal mistake is not repeated, which will be extremely difficult, bearing in mind the tiny size of the squad. They have already shown interest in Swansea City and Wales Captain, Ashley Williams, but unfortunately their £4 million bid was rejected by the club. If they were to pursue Williams, the signing of the Wales International would be welcomed with open arms and would bring much comfort and joy to the Wearsiders, providing the team with much needed defensive solidity. The other names that have been cropping up in the rumour mill, are that of star loanees Fabio Borini and Marcos Alonso, both having impressed while on loan at Wearside last season, although the signing of Borini looks unrealistic as the cost is likely to prove prohibitive.
The quality of the signings this summer will no doubt prove to be fundamental in determining the extent of Sunderland’s success in the next campaign. However, there are other factors that will influence the making or breaking of Sunderland’s season. Contributors such as the Mackems style of football will be key, we didn’t see Gus Poyet’s imprint on the side until the back-end of last season, when they played with confidence and flamboyance, consequently saving themselves from the drop, they’ll be hoping this style of play will bring them success in the seasons to come. With the new season looming larger and larger on the horizon, Sunderland should be looking to act quickly, but with caution in the transfer window, both supporters and the team will be wishing for some luck when it comes to signings, as they look for a brighter more successful future.
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