Jocelin Ta Bi suffers fresh blow at worst possible moment in Sunderland career after frustrating start
Jocelin Ta Bi’s latest setback has denied him a valuable chance to impress Régis Le Bris during Sunderland’s USA tour
Jocelin Ta Bi’s difficult start to life at Sunderland is another reminder of just how tough the pathway can be for a young player trying to establish himself in a new country.
The winger arrived on Wearside with plenty of promise but has endured a frustrating six months since joining the club. An early injury interrupted his progress after an encouraging display against Oxford United in the FA Cup. At a point when Ta Bi needed rhythm, training time and opportunities to show Régis Le Bris what he could offer, his momentum was immediately checked.
He eventually returned to fitness, produced a superb run of performances with the Ivory Coast Under-21s over the summer and reported back to the Academy of Light on the opening day of pre-season. This should have been his chance to grasp the nettle. Sunderland are searching for greater quality on the right side of their attack, and Ta Bi returned with a genuine opportunity to prove he could become a credible option there.
The lad simply looks a player. Sometimes, it takes only a couple of minutes watching somebody to see they possess something different. Ta Bi has that, and we saw it in flashes against York City. There is a sharpness to his movement, confidence when carrying the ball and an ability to make things happen that immediately catches the eye. He remains raw and still has plenty to learn, but the potential is obvious. He could be a genuine game-changer if Sunderland are able to develop him properly and give him the right opportunities.
Then came another setback entirely outside his control. Ta Bi’s visa application for Sunderland’s pre-season tour of the United States was rejected, preventing him from travelling with Le Bris’ squad to Nashville. The club appealed the decision and remained hopeful the issue could be resolved, but there had been no breakthrough by the time Sunderland faced Liverpool.
How unlucky can you be? After an already stop-start introduction to English football, this was meant to be the period when Ta Bi could properly settle, build relationships with his teammates and make his case in front of Le Bris. Instead, he has again been left on the outside through no fault of his own.
It must be enormously frustrating. Ta Bi is a young player adapting to a new league, a new country and a very different environment. Those challenges are difficult enough without injuries and administrative issues repeatedly taking away valuable time.
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Pre-season matters, particularly for players attempting to break into the first-team picture. Every training session and friendly offers a chance to impress, while travelling with the senior group helps younger players understand the standards expected of them. Ta Bi has missed some of that work, but all is not lost.
Sunderland clearly rate him and know the circumstances have been outside his control. The club’s need for another option on the right has not disappeared, either. A delayed start does not have to become another wasted season. Ta Bi still has time to get himself in front of Le Bris, build fitness and show why Sunderland were so keen to bring him to Wearside. His luck must surely turn eventually. When it does, he looks capable of making up for lost time.