2024 has been a year of intrigue, optimism and transition for Sunderland AFC
12/31/2024 01:00 AM
It's been another eventful twelve months at the Stadium of Light, but we're definitely ending the year in a more promising position than we started it, writes Phil West
It feels like far more than twelve months have passed since Sunderland kicked off 2024 in reasonably positive fashion, seeing off Preston North End on New Year's Day as goals from Alex Pritchard and Nazariy Rusyn eased the pressure on Michael Beale after plenty of turbulence in the month or so prior.
A rare example of a stress-free ninety minutes under Beale's stewardship, it was a game most memorable for Luke O'Nien encouraging a seemingly reluctant Rusyn to take in the applause after bagging his first goal in red and white, which was a rare highlight in itself during a challenging spell on Wearside for the Ukrainian.
Twelve months on, we can reflect on yet another intriguing year at the Stadium of Light, one that encompassed memorable highs, crushing lows, the promise of developing talent, the bitterness of bidding farewell to a crowd favourite for the uplands of the Premier League, and since the summer, the prospect of better days to come under Régis Le Bris.
From the ignominy of an FA Cup exit at the hands of Newcastle United to a thoroughly dreadful back end of 2023/2024, to starting the new campaign in blistering fashion and establishing ourselves as genuine playoff candidates, it's seldom been dull and it's often been tumultuous.
On the other hand, it's fair to say that we're welcoming 2025 with the club in a better place than it was at the start of 2024, even if we haven't solved every puzzle as of yet and questions linger about our ability to stay the course in what could be a nervy battle at the top of the league.
To say the least, it all began so peculiarly.
Beale's tenure, a high-profile and exceptionally misguided experiment with a coach who never looked comfortable at Sunderland, was eventually cut short after a series of underwhelming performances, patchy results, and unsavoury off-field occurrences.
The likes of Trai Hume being mysteriously snubbed at St Andrew's and the now-infamous 'Burnergate' episode were frankly bizarre, and Beale eventually exited with Mike Dodds parachuted back into the role as we attempted to salvage something from what was looking increasingly like a campaign to forget.
Sadly, there was no real and sustained upturn in performances or results, with the low point being reached during the 1-5 home debacle against Blackburn Rovers, and the final game of 2023/2024 encapsulated the second half of Sunderland's season.
When Danny Röhl brought his reborn Sheffield Wednesday team to Wearside, a lifeless performance and a witless defeat was the end result as the Owls rolled us over, ensuring they finished a mere three points behind a team who'd effortlessly dispatched them at Hillsborough the previous autumn.
As the dust settled and the reflection began, the questions were many and the discussions highly charged as we tried to take stock of a season that promised so much but ultimately delivered so little.
Why and how had things gone so badly awry following the promise of a sixth-place finish in 2022/2023?
Could the club hierarchy get the next head coaching appointment right, and would they address a recruitment strategy that had seemingly gone so badly wrong? It made for a uncomfortable start to the offseason for many of a red and white persuasion.
Still, we had to try and move forward, and as England embarked on a memorable run to the European Championship final, closer to home, Sunderland seemed to embark on what felt like one of the most exhaustive managerial searches many of us had ever seen.
It was supposed to be Will Still, and then it wasn't, as the back-and-forth continued for what felt like an age, with several other names linked with the role before the white smoke billowed from the chimney and Le Bris, once of Lorient and a man with a stellar reputation at various levels of coaching, was appointed, and to much interest, it must be said.
The initial signs from the Frenchman were good, as his footballing vision was laid out during an insightful training session in Spain, and through his quiet charm, composure and authority, he began to rebuild the players' confidence, with many speaking highly of the impression he'd made on them.
The launch of the much-anticipated Hummel kits gave everyone a midsummer boost and it's fair to say there was a renewed sense of optimism when we headed to Cardiff for the opening game, with a solid away win over the Bluebirds representing an excellent start.
In terms of results and performances, the general trend under Le Bris has been encouraging, albeit with a handful of setbacks along the way, the latest of which was a late defeat at the hands of Stoke City.
Although the exciting and often devastatingly effective football of the early months of the season has given way to a slower, cagier and more methodical style, we've kept ourselves on the coattails of the pacesetters, often through sheer grit and determination when salvaging results from tricky positions.
From the way we rode a Luton storm at Kenilworth Road to eventually snatch a win, to seeing off Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesbrough and Burnley at home to the thrilling, come-from-behind victory over Swansea, there have been plenty of memorable moments, goals of high quality, and the renewal of a never-say-die spirit that's far removed from the weak mentality that dogged us for much of the previous season.
Yes, there have been frustrations.
Points have often been dropped from good positions, performance levels have sometimes fluctuated wildly, and there's been an occasional sense that Le Bris can be somewhat reactive regarding his substitutions.
However, given the league's open nature, being firmly entrenched in the playoff picture at this stage is quite possibly beyond many fans' pre-season expectations, and for that, Le Bris deserves credit.
Transfer-wise, 2024 was very much a mixed bag for Sunderland.
Alex Pritchard's messy January exit and the transfer of one of the Championship's best wingers in Jack Clarke to Ipswich (a move that continues to divide opinion among the fans) weren't universally applauded.
On a more positive note, the January addition of Romaine Mundle was beginning to bear fruit before injury struck. The summer loan signings of Chris Mepham and the enigmatic yet talented Wilson Isidor have added some class to the ranks, and young prospect Milan Aleksić has shown flashes of the promise that persuaded us to bring him to Wearside.
It hasn't all been plain sailing, with the likes of Salis Abdul Samed and Ahmed Abdullahi yet to feature, and Ian Poveda seemingly unable to catch a break. There are also some lingering questions about the relative strength of the squad as a whole, and it's sure to be an interesting January as the club ponders potential moves in the transfer window.
In terms of players emerging as stars of both the present and the future, we've been spoilt for choice in recent months as Le Bris' methods have taken root and his charges- by and large- have responded emphatically.
Jobe has established himself as one of the most commanding and influential talents in the league, and Chris Rigg has exhibited maturity and composure beyond his tender years, not least with his brilliant improvised finish against Middlesbrough.
Exciting young winger Tommy Watson was enjoying a promising breakthrough campaign before injury struck; the mercurial Patrick Roberts' form continues to improve, and when on form, Dennis Cirkin has few rivals as the division's premier left back.
Others, such as Eliezer Mayenda, haven't found the going as easy, but Le Bris is showing real faith in his charges and generally speaking, they've acquitted themselves superbly.
The head coach has been a picture of calm throughout his short spell in charge, and if he's willing to show faith in his wider squad and is able find a way of ensuring that we can close out tight games when in winning positions, there's no reason he can't guide Sunderland into the top six shootout come the end of the season.
We just don't do 'quiet and uneventful' at Sunderland, and 2024 provided further proof of why supporting this great club is both immensely rewarding and utterly exasperating- often in very quick succession!
Onwards to 2025, and we'll kick things off with the New Year's Day visit of Sheffield United.
It certainly won't be dull.
