Coleman hails impact of Sunderland senior team’s U23 members

Follow us on Google Discover

The emergence of a number of talented youngsters has been one positive in a season of torment for Sunderland so far.

Things could not have got much worse for Sunderland last season as they crashed out of England’s top flight in abysmal fashion after a torrid run of results.

This season, however, things have appeared to have gone from bad to worse as the club found themselves slipping down the league table for the second season in a row, currently sitting in 24th place in the Championship, stuck to the bottom of the table and five points from safety.

In spite of this, Sunderland can take one positive from what has been one of the worst season’s in the club’s history, and that is the emergence of a number of highly talented youngsters who look to all share a bright future.

Last month, in a league match against Hull City which ended in a rare Sunderland victory, the Black Cats’ starting XI featured six players aged 23 or under, with the average age of the starting team that day standing at 25.

Those players included the likes of Ty Browning, 23, George Honeyman, 23, Ethan Robson, 21, Jake Clarke-Salter, 20, Josh Maja, 19, and Joel Asoro, 18.

Since that victory over Hull, each of the youngsters have resumed a regular position in the senior side, as the club looks to mount one last drive to fire themselves out of the relegation zone to avoid back-to-back relegations.

Should Sunderland go down, despite the experience being quite the ordeal to handle as a young player, it will definitely serve as invaluable experience and stand them in good stead for the future.

Speaking to the official club website, Coleman was full of praise for his young talents and believes these tough experiences will do the world of good for their careers in the future.

“I know being at the bottom of the Championship for a club like us leaves a sour taste, of course, but if we can just get through it – by hook or by crook – there’s a lot of good young players,” the Welshman said.

“These experiences and moments when it’s so hard, as I said to Ash Fletcher and Ovie Ejaria, are invaluable and they’re going to be much better at the end of it, as will Jake Clarke-Salter.

“We just have to make sure we get through it the best we can with these players, but there’s a nucleus there of a good team with good young players who are going to get better and better.”

Coleman and co now have 12 fixtures left so save their season, and avoid dropping out of the Championship for the first time since the 1987/1988 campaign.