Paul Bracewell delivers glowing verdict on Sunderland's recruitment under Kristjaan Speakman and Florent Ghisolfi

Paul Bracewell has delivered a glowing assessment of Sunderland’s recent recruitment work, praising the foundations laid under Kristjaan Speakman and Florent Ghisolfi.

The former Sunderland, Newcastle United and England midfielder believes the club’s modern transfer approach has played a crucial role in accelerating progress on and off the pitch, pointing to early business, clear planning and strong alignment behind the scenes.

Speaking as part of Looking for the Lads with Rob Mason, Bracewell reflects on how Sunderland’s strategy has given the head coach the best possible platform to succeed, while also offering wider insight into the club’s evolution, identity and long-term direction.

Rob Mason: How do you assess Sunderland’s start to the season?

Paul Bracewell: “It’s been a great start to the season. Everyone saw the recruitment in the summer and the fact that so many of the new signings were done early on gave the Head Coach a good chance to bed his ideas down and get a good pre-season under the team’s belt.”

Rob Mason: Alan Durban was a very important part of your early career with both Stoke City and Sunderland. It would be easy to guess that he was the biggest influence on your own career, but is that true?

Paul Bracewell: “I was lucky enough to play for some real good managers over my career, so I took something from everyone. I wouldn’t say it was down to one specific one. There was a youth coach called Tony Lacey who was with me at Stoke and he instilled some good standards at a younger age.”

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Rob Mason: Since Spain won the World Cup in 2010, the philosophy of most top coaches has been to keep the ball. You were probably the best in the game at doing this way back in the 1980s. You must feel that if you were playing now your style would ideally suit the top teams?

Paul Bracewell: “I think everyone has got carried away with possession, corners and long throws. I’m sure that people remember that not so long ago, Leicester won the Premier League against all of the philosophy. You can only play to your strengths and with the players that you’ve got. Some people fall by the wayside trying to play possession football. At the end of the day, it’s about results, however you play. Sunderland supporters have been very patient in recent years and now they are seeing the benefits of that great support.”

Rob Mason: You were a massive part of the top team in the country in 1985 when you won the league and European Cup Winners’ Cup with Everton. You had a great team then, but how good was it partnering Peter Reid in midfield?

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Paul Bracewell: “We were always brought up with the philosophy that if you could win the midfield battle you tend to win the games. Whether that’s true in today’s game I’m not sure. People will say it’s in both boxes that matches are won and lost. We had a lot of full internationals in our successful side at Everton as Howard Kendall had assembled some great people. I’ve always gone on record as saying we were successful because if teams wanted to play against us, we’d play, but if they wanted to mix it, we could mix it. We were a team that could go away from home and tough it out and get a result, and obviously playing alongside Peter in the centre of the park was a big part of that.”

Rob Mason: Having done so well playing alongside Peter Reid at Everton, you teamed up with him again at Sunderland when you were player-assistant manager. It’s 30 years ago this season that you won what is now the Championship. Can you remember much about that season?

Paul Bracewell: “It was built on a real strong foundation with Bobby Saxton and obviously Reidy. Bob had a big influence, and we were very much 4-4-2. Everybody knew their jobs and the team spirit that was built within that was important. Everybody played for the shirt and if you didn’t then you didn’t play. You’ll always find that the teams that are successful have those attributes.”

Rob Mason: You barely missed a game during the final season at Roker Park which was Sunderland’s first in the Premier League, and you played in the last ever league game at Roker. Sunderland went down with 40 points that season…

Paul Bracewell: “It was always going to be difficult, but 40 points is normally enough to keep you up. It went to the wire, and we knew it was important to stay in the Premier League especially as the new stadium was coming on board. A lot of the time I think it was a balancing act with the finances between the team and also looking towards the new stadium. I can remember a similar situation with Arsenal when Arsene Wenger was trying to build a team as their stadium was being constructed.”

Rob Mason: You didn’t play much at the Stadium of Light, but you did play in the opening game against Ajax…

Paul Bracewell: “I remember it being a special night and that people had been working around the clock to get the safety certificate so the game could go ahead. While we drew 0-0, I remember we hardly touched the ball because they were so good, and we knew that was what it would be like when we got back into the Premier League. It was a great occasion as we moved from Roker Park to the Stadium of Light and the extra revenue that could be created. It’s a move that Everton are just making now. To compete at the top end, you’ve got to have a good stadium.”

Rob Mason: You were first team coach when Dick Advocaat dramatically led the team to safety after a goalless draw at Arsenal in 2015. What can you remember about that period?

Paul Bracewell: “I’d come back to the club for a fourth time to work in the academy and then got asked to work with Dick Advocaat and later with Sam [Allardyce] and David [Moyes] in a first team environment. I’ve really fond memories. I think we had 10 or 11 games to go when I got asked to step up and work with Dick when Gus Poyet left. He was brilliant and for me his achievement in keeping Sunderland up that season was as good as winning the league because it didn’t look as if we could do it at the time. He was a top guy, the lads liked him and I really enjoyed working with him.”

Rob Mason: You played more for SAFC than anyone else, having had three spells here as a player. From your playing days what’s your main memory of your time with Sunderland?

Paul Bracewell: “The first time I was at the club I enjoyed it but then things changed and I went to Everton. I had a good time there before coming back on loan initially when Denis Smith was there. One thing about the north east people is that so long as you are having a right good go, they’ll get behind you and obviously if you can play as well then that’s even better. I really enjoyed all of my spells there.”

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