'Sophisticated, successful and sustainable' - Sunderland fans will LOVE Dave Jones' comments on talkSPORT

Sunderland non-executive director and Sky Sports presenter Dave Jones has shared his thoughts on the club’s new way of doing things.

Jones was speaking to talkSPORT about his Blood Cancer UK Golf Day in memory of Gemma Thomas, the late wife of David's friend and colleague, Simon Thomas.

You can read more about the charity day by clicking here.

The Black Cats have started the season well and sit top-of-the-table heading into this weekend’s League One clash against second-placed Accrington Stanley.

And Sunderland seem to have developed a new way of maneuvering in the transfer window with the newly-installed recruitment team targeting young players.

That has brought about the arrival of Niall Huggins and Dennis Cirkin amongst others.

When asked about the start of the season, Jones said: “It’s been really good. We have had a tough few years. Crikey.

“But I feel like the decline has ended and I think a lot of Sunderland fans would share my view.

“It might not be the case that we suddenly get promoted this year and certainly nobody would make any promises.

“But what we have started doing. Well, what we’ve stopped doing is making short-term decisions.

“And now it’s all about building a bigger and more sophisticated, more successful and more sustainable football club based on long-term decision making.

“Based on sensible recruitment around young, fast players who can be as ambitious as we are and come on the journey up with us and we’ve recruited in the right areas off the pitch as well.

“Most notably with our head of recruitment Stuart Harvey who has joined us from Blackburn and has had a sensational impact.

“We’ve got a really sensible sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and we’ve got a really sound chief executive. And together these guys are helping to put our football club on the right track and I really do think they are.

“I must say the coach Lee Johnson has got them playing some really attractive football which is a really big part of what we are trying to achieve as well.”

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