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Sunderland AFC Former Players Association
GOBSMACKED! FORMER SAFC PLAYERS REACT TO BLACK CATS' APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE
ONE of Sunderland AFC's "engagement" sessions saw Head Coach Tony Mowbray and some of his backroom staff welcome members of the SFPA into the fold at the Stadium of Light.
Between addressing his side ahead of the match with West Bromwich Albion and dashing off for a Sky Sports pre-match interview, Mowbray spelled out his football philosophy, forged in the old school environment of Ayresome Park but now tempered with the 21st century aids of sports science, data and statistics.
Head of coaching Stuart English and performance supremo Jamie Hardy welcomed the ex-players whose numbers included 1973 Cup win veterans Jimmy Montgomery, Dick Malone, Richie Pitt and SFPA chairman Micky Horswill.
More recent decades were represented by the likes of Gordon Armstrong and David Corner while the 1960s contingent included Jimmy Shoulder and Colin Suggett.
Stuart English said the club's new ownership under Kyril Louis Dreyfus had set about establishing the club's community identity based on its history, vision and future.
Beyond that the club's playing identity was to be "bold in approach", "creative in our play" and "industrious in pursuit of the ball".
He outlined a host of hi-tec aides including drone film footage of every senior training session to statistical and video breakdowns of opponents and comprehensive player development programmes for every SAFC player based on their strengths and weaknesses.
He also detailed video breakdown of opposition sides tactical strengths and weaknesses to inform Sunderland's own approach to individual games.
There was now a full complement of 40 staff to develop and nurture all the club sides from under-nines through all age groups to women and the first team.
Head Coach Tony Mowbray said he'd developed under a youth team coach in the old-school method where he was screamed and told he was "xxxxing s@@t" but football had changed.
"I genuinely like players," he said. "I've been there and know their dreams. I've also always believed in trying to make young players better."
The old pros were unanimous in hailing the club's attempts to reach out to include them in their activities and for outlining such a bold, modern approach to team management and preparation.
Jimmy Shoulder said: "I'm gobsmacked...I've never seen myself play, never mind having every training session filmed by drone. I've tried Google to find footage of myself playing...there's nothing, anywhere. What we've seen here is remarkable."
Bobby Park, a richly talented forward at Roker in the early 70s - whose career was curtailed by injury - said the transformation at the club was astonishing. "Back in the day we had the manager his assistant, a trainer, youth team coach and the physio...
"That was it. Now there's all this gadgetry, data, statistics and 40 staff. Unbelievable."
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