Mike Dodds drops first insight into Sunderland's summer transfer plans and the slight change fans can expect

Sunderland have held their first round of recruitment meetings ahead of a pivotal summer transfer window, and interim head coach Mike Dodds has said the fans will likely see a slight change to previous windows.

The Black Cats’ recruitment strategy has come under fire this season as the play-off push has dramatically fallen away in the second half of the campaign. Sunderland have allowed a significant number of experienced players to depart since last summer, with the average age of their team coming down even further as injuries have hit the squad in Dodds’ tenure.

While clear that the overall strategy of trusting in young players and giving them significant playing time will absolutely not change, Dodds says he feels their is an acceptance across the board that some minor tweaks need to be made. Those recruitment meetings will continue to step up over the next few weeks, with the new head coach adding their thoughts to the mix when they are appointed at the end of the season. “We've had our first round of meetings in terms of recruitment and also in terms of what's been positive and not so positive,” Dodds said.

“So that's the preliminary rounds that we've done, there were no individuals discussed within that but you discuss squad composition, areas of focus for the summer and all those kinds of things. I know there's another set of meetings due for the last week of the season and then three or four set up for the post-season in terms of recruitment, and more beyond that. Obviously whoever the new head coach is will be updated on the meetings that have happened and will then have an influence on comings and goings from there. So we've had our first meetings if that makes sense in terms of reflections of this year's recruitment and the things that need to be addressed from the start of next season.”

Sunderland’s average age will come down even further this summer as things stand, with Corry Evans and Bradley Dack currently set to see their contracts expire. Both have struggled to impact the side this season due to injury and Dodds believes the club hierarchy have recognised the consequence that has had on the team. “I think, and I use this phrase carefully, that there will be a little bit more of a balanced approach,” Dodds said.

“The club is never going to completely change its approach to identifying young players and potential diamonds in the rough, that's just not something that they're going to abandon because it's what they believe in and why they invested in the football club. But I do think this season has highlighted the fact that we probably do need one or two around what we currently have, and I also feel like there probably needs to be a little more depth.

“I took over the team where the injury list was severe and it probably highlighted that a little bit of depth needs addressing. So I think there'll be slight changes, a slightly more balanced approach. It's never going to change entirely but this season has highlighted and will be a positive [in the long term], albeit it doesn't feel like it right now when we're sat in midtable and it’s not what were we want to be, is some things need addressing and I think the club will do their utmost to do that in the summer.”