James Copley: I report on Sunderland's youth teams - I'm tipping these 12 players to have good careers

I have watched Sunderland’s youth sides at length this season - and these are the players I’m tipping to have good careers in football.

Away from the first team, watching Murty’s under-21s play is very enjoyable. The pathway at the Academy of Light has produced the likes of Dan Neil, Anthony Patterson, Tommy Watson and Chris Rigg in recent seasons, and we’re always on the lookout for the next cab of the rank.

Here, I detail some of the players I think are worth keeping an eye on going forward over the next couple of years. These quotes are taken from The Echo’s twice-weekly Roar Podcast, which can be found on Apple, Spotify and YouTube.

Sunderland duo Finn Geragusian and Trey Ogunsuyi

JC: “There's a couple that have really caught my eye this season. Obviously, people will be aware of Trey Ogunsuyi. He's just picked up an injury at the moment, but he came on in the FA Cup game at the Stadium of Light against Stoke. He's done really well for the under-21s. He can play off the right through the middle. He's just got sort of everything you'd want from a young striker, and he's got a way to develop and a way to grow. He's been fantastic, to be honest.

“But then Finn Geragusain is behind him as well, who's 17. He was playing under-16s football last season, and he's been playing for the under-18s this season, as well as the under-21s. He's just looked amazing. Sometimes I think you see youth football, and it can be, not all of the time, it can be very passive and very technical. I'm not saying Geragusain isn't technical because he is, but he just goes after games.

“His desire and his work rate and his pace for a big lad as well. I think he's like six foot two already. Really, really impressed by him. I'm not saying you're going to see him in the first team next week or anything, but I think he's definitely one to keep an eye on.

“But I think for me, the standout in recent weeks has been Finn Geragusian, because I've just, he's just been this phenomenon. In terms of just contributing and imprinting his will on a game, he's doing it way beyond his years, and he's got time to grow and time to learn. Very, very impressive. And not really doing anything too flashy either, just doing the basics really well, just getting the ball, running at players, being in the right place, being on the end of it, and can play in a couple of different positions across the forward line.”

SAFC rising stars Harrison Jones and Jaydon Jones

JC: “Sunderland fans will be fairly familiar with Harrison Jones now. I think he's played three times for the first team in the Cups, and he made his league debut off the bench against Sheffield Wednesday but he's a really good technical player. He can play in a multitude of positions. He can play as an eight. He could probably play as a six as well.

“He can definitely play as a 10. Against Leeds United, he actually played as a false nine.He got an assist at a goal, and he just makes things happen. He's a boyhood Sunderland fan as well, which always helps. It's his dream to play for Sunderland, and he's doing that alongside his brother, Jaydon Jones, as well, in the middle, who's not a bad player at all, actually.”

Jenson Jones

JC: “Another one that's really impressed us in recent weeks, actually, and I've watched him for a long time, but I'm really starting to appreciate him now, is Jenson Jones. So there's Harrison Jones, Jaydon Jones, who are brothers, and then there's Jenson Jones, and that's always very difficult, especially when the three of them were named on the same team sheet against Leeds.

“But Jenson Jones can play left-back, right-back. He's played centre midfield, and then against Leeds, he also went left-wing and got an assist as well. So he's just so ridiculously technical that he can play in all these different positions, which is obviously really, really handy to have. He's really, really come on in recent weeks, I would say. Again, probably has a little bit of growing to do. The physicality of his game probably needs to be improved on, but he's a top prospect.”

Oli Bainbridge

JC: “And Oli Bainbridge as well, who got a little bit of first-team experience with Kilmarnock earlier on in the season, played at Celtic Park. I think he played six or seven times up there before coming back in January. He can play left-back, right-back, centre-back. He was a big player when the under-21s got to the Premier League play-off final against Tottenham. They ended up losing, but he's a really, really good handy player. A little bit like Cirkin, I think, in a little way. They both wear Alice bands at times, so that's probably why.”

Matty Young and other honourable mentions

JC: “But honestly, it's so fun to watch the under-21s, because they are just full of talent. Graham Murty does a great job. Luke Bell, actually, the centre-back, he's really come on, he's a good player. And then there are others as well like Zak Johnson's out on loan at Notts County as well. I really, really, really like him. Tom Lavery's a good player. Ben Crompton's out on loan, so there's so much talent there. Ben Middlemas too.

The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.

“I didn't even mention Matty Young as well, who's probably one of the best young goalkeepers in the country out on loan at Salford. I think he's probably seen as the natural long-term successor to Anthony Patterson one day. I'm not trying to sell Anthony Patterson off early or anything like that, but yeah, the depth of talent at Sunderland is ridiculous and it's really nice to see that pathway utilised.”

Your next Sunderland read: Sunderland writer James Copley names loanee who 'definitely' deserves first team chance