Sunderland's 'brilliant' academy pathway plans revealed during FA Youth Cup success

Sunderland’s academy is beginning to bear fruit after the wilderness years of League One and the under-18s have just advanced to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup after defeating Gillingham.

The Black Cats’ double relegation from the Premier League to League One presented many problems, one of which was a mass exodus of players from Sunderland’s youth ranks under the stewardship of Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven.

Much talent was cashed in on and some wouldn’t have stayed even had the Wearsiders tried to keep them with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal sniffing around. What was lacking at the time, though, was a clear pathway from the youth teams to the senior set-up.

Although he has rightly received criticism in recent weeks over a variety of issues, Sunderland’s youth policy remains strong under owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, who has invested in structure, appointing the likes of sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and academy manager Robin Nicholls to help fine-tune the club’s conveyor belt of talent.

Here, we hear from Sunderland under-18 coach Fin Lynch on Sunderland's current youth strategy - and how it all works:

The 'brilliant' methodology at the Academy of Light

Lynch describes the Academy of Light’s methodology under Nicholls as a ‘brilliant’ system prioritising the needs of individuals, which can be an attractive proposition for players who may have had their heads turned from offers elsewhere otherwise, which is in stark contrast to the Madrox era.

“What we have done between the 18s and 21s is mix and match players,” Lynch says of Sunderland’s fluid approach to youth development. “So it is not saying, ‘You are 21s and that is it.’ What we always say is that it is an individual programme. If we feel it is right for that individual to go and play under-18s, we will go and put him in under-18s. If we feel that 21s is the right thing to do at that time, then we will do it."

Lynch is also quick to reference the collective effort at the Academy of Light, hinting that a good environment, which may not have always existed prior under previous ownerships, is just as important as any player development plans they produce.

“We all get on well with each other as a staff. We trust each other and we always have good meetings regarding players’ development and how they are doing and how we are going to have to challenge them,” Lynch admits.

How young players like Chris Rigg are handled by Sunderland

The poster boy for Sunderland’s academy strategy at the moment is Chris Rigg. The midfielder made his debut last season for the first team as a 15-year-old and has scored twice during the current campaign against Crewe Alexandra in the Carabao Cup and Southampton in the Championship.

The England youth international was persuaded to sign a two-year scholarship deal at Sunderland last summer amid serious transfer interest from just about every major club in Europe.

Despite his first-team success, however, Rigg often plays for Sunderland’s under-21s and under-18s side and played 90 minutes as the Black Cats defeated Middlesbrough in the prestigious FA Youth Cup at under-18 level in December, then playing again against Gillingham in the next round.

Continuing with the theme of challenging Sunderland’s young stars, Lynch adds: “For example with Riggy, we’re challenging Riggy at under-18s and saying that you have to be the best player on the pitch. So that is a different type of challenge for him from the first team, where he is coming on for the last 10 minutes to go and enjoy it.

“We’re saying to him with the under-18s that you need to go and show, same with Tommy Watson, you need to go and dominate that game, which you have seen they can do.”

How Sunderland retain as many young stars as possible

Another tactic of Sunderland’s is to ensure that players’ parents are fully on board and in the loop when it comes to their sons and the relevant plans for them,

“We always say that we have to trust the process and we do, Lynch adds. “We make sure it is clear to all parents as well, this is what we are going to do for your son and you can see now that players are coming through. 

“Under-15s playing for the 18s. Riggy playing in the Youth Cup and then going back to the 21s and the first team. It is great to be around and it is a great environment that we all love working in.”

How the pathway from the youth ranks to the first team works

Sunderland’s environment has helped fast-track Anthony Patterson and Dan Neil as first-team regulars and Elliot Embleton had also contributed before his injury. There have also been senior appearances for Ellis Taylor alongside the aforementioned Rigg and Watson since Sunderland’s promotion back to the Championship.

Indeed, 16-year-old Matty Young was included in Sunderland’s pre-season tour of America alongside Rigg. Another goalkeeper Adam Richardson, 20, played against South Shields and Gateshead during the summer and Trey Ogunsuyi, 17, also featured. There are opportunities to progress at Sunderland now.

“We have a lot of good quality within the academy,” Lynch adds. “What we always say for any young lad coming through even the under 9s, we talk about a pathway, because we have a clear pathway for individuals here at Sunderland and it's not just at the younger age groups. 

“We want to make sure it continues right through from the under-9s to the first-team. And you’ve seen that with Chris Rigg being a prime example of that. He started at the club at under-9s, coming right through, in and around the first-team, making first-team appearances. Tommy Watson is the exact same.”