James Copley: The emerging Sunderland youth winger drawing Tommy Watson comparisons
Timur Tutierov’s form is turning heads at Sunderland as comparisons with former academy star Tommy Watson grow louder
Two years ago, Tommy Watson was the one tearing down the wings for Sunderland U21s. Timur Tutierov, by comparison, was often on the bench or still with the U18s, clearly talented but not yet a standout.
Fast forward to today, and the picture looks very different. Tutierov is now beginning to follow the same path Watson once blazed, and the similarities are becoming harder to ignore. Watson’s rise was extraordinary. Highly rated throughout the academy, he impressed consistently for Sunderland’s youth sides before earning multiple senior call-ups.
He burst onto the scene against Stoke City, scoring twice, then suffered an injury, agreed to join Brighton, returned to fitness and ultimately scored the goal that promoted Sunderland at Wembley. All of that came after being booed earlier in the season. It remains one of the wildest arcs of any young player I have covered. And Watson, quite simply, was one of the best prospects I have seen come through the Academy of Light. Under Graeme Murty, he was devastatingly effective, electric from the wing and every bit a first-team footballer in waiting.
The biggest compliment I can give Timur Tutierov is that he is not far off reaching that level himself. He has developed dramatically over the past year. He has gone from a player who did not always stand out to one who catches your eye every time he is on the pitch. He is lively, direct and comfortable on either flank, though he is at his best cutting inside from the left onto his right foot. His output has improved, too. He has scored regularly this season and added assists to his game.
If he sharpens his finishing, he has the potential to become lethal at youth level. Missed one-v-ones have been the only frustration in a campaign where he has otherwise been excellent. Physically, he has taken a noticeable step forward in the last six months. He was part of Régis Le Bris’ senior training group in pre-season and has carried that momentum into the competitive schedule.
What sets him apart is not just what he does with the ball, but what he is willing to do without it. He works, he tracks back, he competes. He is not a carbon copy of Watson, but the impact, the effectiveness and the influence from the wing are beginning to feel reminiscent of his former teammate. In a season packed with storylines across the club, watching Tutierov’s emergence has been a brilliant bonus. And if his trajectory continues on its current path, the comparisons with Watson might soon become impossible to ignore.
And now comes the next challenge. With Sunderland in the Premier League, Tutierov’s pathway will inevitably differ from Watson’s, who broke through in the Championship. Sunderland now operates in an entirely different world. After a £150million summer spend and the likelihood of further additions in January, breaking into the first team early in your career becomes far more difficult. We saw that progression in League One for Dan Neil and Anthony Patterson, and in the Championship for Chris Rigg and Watson. The Premier League is another level of difficulty entirely.
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That means Tutierov, should he continue to perform as he has been, may become a candidate for a senior loan in the next year to bridge the gap between U21s football and Premier League intensity. Whatever route Sunderland chooses, the important thing is this – he has absolutely started to make a name for himself. Plenty of Sunderland fans are already watching his progress closely, and with good reason. He is becoming one of the most exciting prospects at the club.