The success of the Sunderland academy is one that divides opinion amongst fans. Many believe that the club have produced some successful footballers throughout the years, whilst others look at the academies of the likes of Southampton and Middlesbrough and feel that Sunderland are not in the same league.
Since 2003, the UEFA five star certified Academy of Light has been at the disposal of Sunderland. There has been a lack of success through these fantastic facilities however, with only a handful of names plying their trade in England’s best leagues. Despite their lack of academy graduates, Sunderland supporters take great pride in seeing a homegrown talent succeed.
The accountants will enjoy it even more. Developing a top footballer may not be cheap, but it is a much more affordable method than purchasing a foreign player who may or may not adapt to the English league, a sight Sunderland fans have seen far too commonly over the years.
New Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and his former teammate Jack Colback stand-alone as impressive products of the Sunderland system stretching back far too long to the days of Michael Gray and Michael Bridges. New Rangers forward Martyn Waghorn is deemed an academy success, which to many fans shows the underperformance of the academy.
Henderson is arguably the biggest success of the academy. Liverpool captain, England regular and on the front cover of FIFA 16, Henderson’s career has gone from strength to strength since departing the Black Cats in a £20 million move in 2011. Most recently to emerge a success from the Sunderland academy is Newcastle’s Jack Colback, who famously swapped Wearside for Tyneside last summer on a free transfer. Colback was a regular for Sunderland since his breakthrough into the team and was held in high regard amongst fans prior to his unsavory departure.
The Sunderland hierarchy did not take too kindly to the uncapped Englishman’s departure stating, “For him to then leave the club that has supported him throughout his formative years in such a manner, with no chance for Sunderland to recover any of the significant investment that it has made in him as a player, has left a bitter taste.”
Despite the academy taking some justified criticism over the years, recently the club appears to have turned a corner. Impressive results and individual performances last term for the club’s under-21 side has led to the footballing world taking note of the work being done by Ged McNamee and his backroom team at The Academy of Light.
Most notable and attracting nationwide attention is starlet Duncan Watmore. The winger won Barclays Under-21 Player of the Season award; this was despite missing three months with a broken leg, scoring 11 goals in 18 games last term. The youngster remarkably still buys his own football boots, and even more bizarrely studying for a business degree in his spare time. Despite his undoubted talent, there are no first-team guarantees for Duncan Watmore, despite backing from the fans. He can do worse than the follow the examples of Henderson and Colback however, two model professionals who rose through the Sunderland academy.
