Adil Aouchiche's Sunderland redemption can be an example to others
01/03/2025 01:00 AM
The mercurial French playmaker has caught the eye in recent games, and as Michael Dunne writes, it shows that chances will be given to those who earn them
One could've been forgiven for thinking that Sunderland's automatic promotion challenge was on the verge of collapse, given the rotten luck with the injuries we've succumbed to in recent weeks.
The loss of Chris Rigg, Tommy Watson, Romaine Mundle, Alan Browne, Dennis Cirkin and Dan Ballard at various times has forced Régis Le Bris to chop and change his starting eleven more frequently than he expected.
The wide areas have been ever-changing, and although we started the season with Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts, the likes of Watson, Eliezer Mayenda and in more recent times Adil Aouchiche have had a run out there.
Aouchiche's return to the fold has been quite a slow burner over the past few weeks. The Frenchman started the season firmly out of the plans of the head coach with whom he'd previously worked at Lorient, where it appeared they didn't exactly see eye to eye.
His return to the fold began when he came on for the final few minutes during our home draw with Bristol City, and his injection of energy and pace to a one-dimensional Sunderland attack helped to rescue a point as he played a big role in Roberts' goal.
From that point on, he steadily increased his minutes on the pitch to the point where he started our last two fixtures against Stoke City and Sheffield United.
Aouchiche has arguably been our best player in these games, and there appears to be a new-found realisation that hard work is an absolute necessity if you want to play in this Sunderland team.
Le Bris has spoken openly about the importance of not being a 'selfish player', and it's the selflessness of Aouchiche's performances that's given him a chance of rescuing his career at the club.
It's clear to most Sunderland fans that our head coach appears to be rather stubborn with personnel changes, whether to the starting line up or when making substitutions.
Despite having his hand forced somewhat due to injuries, Le Bris has opened the door for Aouchiche to rescue both his Sunderland career and maybe his career as a whole, given that it looked like he wasn't going anywhere quickly.
There were many moments in the New Year's Day match with Sheffield United where you could see Aouchiche busting a gut to track back and help out his teammates, and one can ponder whether this was something he did much of last season.
From my memory, it wasn't and I wouldn't be surprised if an honest conversation was had between manager and player, clearly outlining the expectations of Aouchiche within the team.
The difference in performances is a credit to both the Aouchiche and Le Bris, and can be used as a fine example of what can be achieved even if you're out in the cold.
Le Bris' tendency to use the same players on a regular basis has seen limited game time for the likes of Aaron Connolly, Abdoullah Ba and Jewison Bennette among others, and it's these players that need to take stock of themselves and use the example of Aouchiche as a motivation to return to the fold.
Whilst an exit is extremely likely for the likes of Bennette, it's conceivable that the likes of Ba and especially Connolly could have a role to play within the team. Like Aouchiche before them, it's dependent on how hard they're willing to work for it.
