Success Without Selling Your Soul? Sunderland’s Winning Formula

This week, it is fair to say that I have been slightly obsessed with Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey. Without wanting to spoil anything (not that you can really spoil the plot of a story that originates from the 8th or 7th century BC), it focuses on the protagonist, Odysseus – one of the more cunning and intelligent Greek heroes who sailed to Troy to take part in the Trojan War, and the figure we would attribute the Trojan Horse to.

Nolan’s adaptation focuses on Odysseus’ hubris – where a figure believes they are above the rules, normal limits or consequences of their actions – and the subsequent aftermath. In Odysseus’ case, he is faced with a dilemma. Is it worth sacrificing your moral core in order to be granted some supposed concept of glory?

The reason why I’m blabbing on about this is because of some of the, frankly, bizarre coverage I’ve seen regarding the Visitors and their current dilemma.

I don’t want to retell it all at the risk of turning into some sort of Geordie Josh figure. However, the general gist is as follows: (Beh)Eddie Howe was restricted by unfair financial rules, designed by the “Top Six” mafia to protect their vested interests. Newcastle, a massive club, were never given a fair chance to succeed. As a result, the manager has had to resign because he couldn’t possibly face the concept of developing young players with high potential in the Premier League. Their best players, like Claire Balding CBE and Sandro Tonali, have had no other option but to leave, being forced to go to undesirable places like Barcelona or London for more money.

Much like The Odyssey, it’s all designed to pull at the heartstrings.

However, is this really the case? Could it not simply be a case of financial mismanagement? Does believing that you’re such a “massive” club limit your chances of success? Is it not possible that someone can play for your team whilst also moving on to other opportunities, should the right price be met? Could your backroom staff reinvest the revenue generated wisely and help the team progress? Should you spend in excess of £160 million on Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga and Nick Woltemade?

I don’t think I’m by myself when it comes to acknowledging that there is a food chain within the current system.

Whilst it might not seem massively ambitious to some, I would love to see us mirror the successful models we’ve seen at clubs like Brighton and Brentford in recent years. Essentially, it’s a system that sees players with fantastic potential brought in before being sold for a substantial profit.

Objectively, it benefits everyone.

For fans, you get to see the team continue to progress at the highest level whilst also watching exciting players develop. For the club, you see clear, tangible progress whilst also knowing that any profit generated is going to result in further development down the line. From the player’s perspective, you are given the opportunity to showcase your skills in the Premier League whilst resting assured that the club has your best interests at heart and will not stand in your way, should its valuation be met.

Whilst we are only in the infancy of this process in the Premier League, we do need to acknowledge that we’ve already experienced it in recent years.

Although it was upsetting at the time to see Jack Clarke leave for Ipswich, it was, ultimately, the best decision for all parties. Not only did we have ample replacements ready, but we were able to reinvest the profit wisely into future squad development.

Put simply, Jack Clarke walked so that players who have just featured at the World Cup, like Nilson Angulo and Chemsdine Talbi, could run.

Likewise, thinking back to the Championship play-off final against Sheffield United, I was full of trepidation at the idea that we might lose that fixture and then subsequently lose some of the players who had Premier League potential – most notably, Jobe Bellingham.

Thankfully, Eliezer Mayenda and Tommy Watson had different ideas, and we’re now in a position that many, myself included, couldn’t possibly have imagined.

Although Jobe did ultimately move on, the circumstances surrounding it were completely different and mirrored what we regularly see at clubs like Brighton and Bournemouth. He moved to Dortmund with our blessing, generating a fantastic profit that helped fund future purchases.

Like in every other workplace on planet Earth, people talk about their experiences with their employers, and this is one of the fundamental reasons why I believe we are such an attractive prospect for potential new signings.

Conversely, I also believe this is why the Visitors find it so difficult to recruit adequate replacements.

Think about it on a personal level. If you were given a choice, would you rather work for someone who has your best interests at heart as an individual and understands that everyone can benefit mutually and progress, or would you rather work for a supposedly “huge” company that couldn’t possibly comprehend why you would want to go elsewhere and makes it nigh-on impossible to escape?

Going back to Odysseus, it became obvious that he had regrets about losing his moral compass in pursuit of supposed glory.

Perhaps the Visitors could do some reflecting. Has it really been worth losing your identity and moral compass in order to win a prestigious Carabao Cup? Is it perhaps time to show a little more respect to the clubs with shrewd recruitment that you’re now looking to replicate?

Personally, I’m delighted that I get to support a club that treats its players with respect and looks to be constantly developing and evolving.

Long may it continue…