RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesHARRISON, NJ - AUGUST 02: Sunderland players celebrate the goal from Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele #20 during the friendly match between Wrexham AFC and Sunderland AFC on August 2nd, 2026 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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Dear Roker Report,
Sunderland’s pre-season tour of the USA was a masterstroke by the club.
Pre-season games generally consist of two teams each half, where match minutes are more important than the result.
Everybody connected with the club, including the fans who travelled, represented Sunderland brilliantly and promoted the club to a wider audience in a positive light.
Team bonding shows on the pitch as we further enhance the Sunderland brand.
Trying to improve on last season’s results will be a challenge in itself, but I’m sure that come Ipswich away, the lads will be ready to deliver.
Ha’way the Lads!
Mark
Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Mark. Thank you for your letter.
Although results weren’t great on the Lads’ USA swing, I felt that the most positive aspect of the tour was the fact that some of our younger prospects caught the eye with some encouraging displays and given that 2026/2027 is set to be an incredibly demanding season on all fronts, it offered real hope that they’ll be ready to take the chances that’ll come their way — particularly in cup competitions.
Did we learn anything new during the three games and were there any real surprises along the way? Probably not, but as Régis Le Bris pointed out, it’s clear that they’re trying to build an even greater chemistry and that the aim is to continue to evolve as a side.
On that basis, it was certainly a worthwhile exercise and of course, the true generated some excellent PR for the club as well. Several boxes ticked!
Dear Roker Report,
Do you think other clubs (apart from Coventry!) will, or should, look at Sunderland as a blueprint for building and recruiting successfully and frugally?
By the way, Dreamboat is my favourite player, and that’s how I’ll know him from now on!
Gill Sara
Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Gill. Thank you for getting in touch.
It’s an interesting point that you’ve raised, but for me, what Sunderland have done counts for far more than merely building a new squad and bringing several exciting young players into the fold as we target Premier League competitiveness on a seasonal basis.
As a newly-promoted side, you have to essentially instil an entirely new culture at your football club if you want to give yourself a chance of surviving and then thriving.
Whereas you can often get away with what I would term “vibes-based football” at Championship level, that approach won’t work in the top flight and in someone like Granit Xhaka, we have a player that embodies exactly what we need: standards, a winning mentality and a no-fear attitude.
That’s the blueprint and it’ll be interesting to see how the three newly-promoted clubs go about their business this season, and whether they’ve got the mindset needed.
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