What should we do with Sunderland starlet Trey Ogunsuyi in January?

Today at 01:00 AM

There's a decision to be made about Trey Ogunsuyi in January following a fine start to the season at youth level — If we're letting Rusyn go, do we promote him or do we loan him out?

Calum Mills says...

With our academy churning out star after star, it's become a happy problem for the club to manage. Riggy, Patto, Neil and Watson are or have all been in the starting 11 this season with Patto and Neil arguably being veterans of the squad.

The one position on the pitch we haven't seen an academy product be promoted to fill in recent years is a striker - the last one being Maja. We've seen several leave the club over the years without making their debuts. I will always remember thinking we had a future England star on our hands with Martyn Waghorn.

Trey Ogunsuyi has 15 goals this season and whenever he does score he does it effortlessly. Pace, power and an eye for goal — it's no wonder Liverpool are allegedly keen on him.

With Rusyn all but out of the door, I'd like to see Trey be trusted and promoted to the senior squad. He's made the bench, but is yet to get minutes on the pitch. The lad has outgrown reserve team or U21's football and he's only 18!

We do have several attacking options on the books and there is always the option to loan him out but with promotion a reality, we can't be caught short up top like the 22/23 season where we lost Simms and Stewart in the space of a month. Wilson has scored goals but Trey may offer something different, as does Mayenda.

I feel he's destined for greatness. Could we see the Tommy x Trey link-up at the SOL at some point in 2025?!

Malc Dugdale says...

My view is we give him a go when it suits him and the team, for the second half of the season.

This can and should be initially off the bench in support of Isidor and Mayenda, and let's see how he does.

If he needs a loan then this is a good time to see where he is at. Worst case he mixes with the first team squad and gets used to that, to remove the novelty and in places awe later.

We have seen with many others that it is a huge step up for all young players to make it in the first 11. But if the lad is banging them in and we can slowly introduce him, then what do we have to lose?

We gave Hemir a go and he may come good later but he didn't quite cut it. It looks like we aren't feeling it with Rusyn, and while I respect the club's opinion I'm not sure if he had enough of a chance.

As the social media stream in X suggests, sometimes you f*** about and find out. We are a club that embraces youth, so let's keep that up and give this lad a bash.

If he struggles we send him out in the summer and benefit next Xmas.

It'd be daft not to try him with how good our youth route has been the last 2-3 years. Give the boy a go and build from there. Worst case he will appreciate the club did that and will always be grateful for to chance.

John Wilson says...

Sunderland AFC have had their fingers burnt a few times in the past by letting young talent go. There have been different reasons from tight-fisted owners, a lack of foresight, or agents getting their players a better deal elsewhere when their pathway wasn't as clear at the SOL.

Things are different now. We are one of the most attractive clubs for young talent, and one of the most active clubs in promoting their potential and making them feel involved and that they are valued by the club (and fans).

Whilst I've not seen Trey play live myself, I have seen clips and read reviews. He does indeed seem like a top talent for the future. The question of promoting him to at least be involved in the first squad, or sending him on loan, depends purely on how much game time he can be offered at the top level. It also depends on how much time we want to give him to develop his strength and experience. Would a loan deal to a League 1 or 2 side, or a Conference club, speed up his progress?

My own opinion is we keep him predominantly with the under-21s, but give him experience with the first team squad, and even give him some game time. There is a saying that if he's good enough he's old enough. I'm all for gradual care and development of youngsters, but there are 17-year-olds out there playing in the Premier League never mind any other league - so if he's good enough, he should stay with us to develop his skills and tactical sense the way we want him to.

We all like to be experts from afar, but the coaches see players train and how they interact with other team members every day. It's their job. So if they see potential in Trey, but not Rusyn or Bennette, we have to trust their judgement. If they've sent Triantis out because he just wasn't going to get game time but will in the future, that's a different call.

We need to trust the staff, trust the process and 'the model'. For me, that's developing Trey as we did Riggy, Watson and many others.