World Cup keeper Pickford's praise for Kevin Ball

http://www.wearewearside.com/articl...but-has-underland-legend-a-role-in-new-regime

Should we give ball a more prominent role at the academy? Based on what pickford says, i hope so

Ahead of his probable World Cup debut, Jordan Pickford has made special reference to the part Kevin Ball played in his development at Sunderland, but has the red-and-white legend a role in the new regime at the Stadium of Light?

by Will_White Sunday, 17 June 2018 07:11 AM 0 Comments
Previewing his probable World Cup bow on Monday night, Jordan Pickford has made special mention for the part Sunderland legend Kevin Ball played in his development, but the red-and-white stalwart's role in the new regime at the Stadium of Light remains unclear.


In an interview aired during Saturdays's BBC1 World Cup coverage, Pickford recalled the drilling he and his young teammates received under Ball when he was coaching at the Sunderland academy:


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"Dubbing [waxing] the boots, the coach's boots, the first team boots. Cleaning the dressing room, mopping the floors, everything. It was all about grounding for us, all about growing up - the maturing side, the growing up side. He [Kevin Ball] was the one for me".

And on the development of his renowned kicking ability, Pickford suggested some spells in which Ball had him playing in a young Sunderland defence helped hone those distribution skills:

"He [Kevin Ball] put me on centre-half sometimes and I'd be the best centre-half. I've been a goalkeeper since I was five. Diving about on concrete with my brother, cos he was a centre forward, so some would say it was a short straw but it's come out alright".

Ball is one figure regularly singled out for praise from Sunderland's academy graduates. Jordan Henderson is the other Wearside product in the England squad who remains in touch with the 53-year-old former Roker favourite.

"Mr Sunderland" has been at the club pretty much continuously since 1990 when he was signed by Denis Smith. Since his playing days finished, Ball has held positions with the academy set-up and has twice been caretaker manager. Most recently he's been employed in an ambassadorial role, schmoozing sponsors and fronting fan engagement events.

But with a new broom sweeping mercilessly through the backrooms of Sunderland AFC, does Kevin Ball have a future at the club? Some had anticipated he might revert back to his academy role following the departure of Jimmy Sinclair last month, but Paul Reid was plucked from Eastleigh's coaching staff last week to head up the Academy of Light.

But surely with fan relations at the forefront of Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven's thoughts during their early days in charge of Sunderland, they can find a more substantial role for the man who has been so influential at SAFC and who is spoken of so highly by players, staff and supporters alike.

New head of recruitment Tony Coton played with Ball under Peter Reid, and the two men linking up to identify and develop young talent is surely a more fruitful use of Kevin Ball's unique skill-set than demonstrating how to use the click-and-collect half time refreshment service at the Stadium of Light, as he did last season.

 

It is perhaps typical of SAFC that our two most successful, in terms of the transfer fees earned, Academy products, both single Kevin out as the most important influence on their development while they were learning their trade.

Yet Kevin was removed from the Academy and is given a PR role.

No one currently at the club has the respect from us fans that Kevin enjoys.

If they can't find a spot for him doing what he's good at (not that he doesn't do a great PR job), give him a place on the board.
At least this might help to avoid the problems that arose previously when Niall left.

 

Second that. Every shirt I had had Ball on the back and people praise Quinny for things he did for the club, things he’s said about it, Bally lives and breathes the place.

I’d be ****ing foaming if he was shouldered, but I very much doubt he will be.

An ex of mine her dad was involved with Hebburn FC and he said Bally used to treat the Non-League lads with the same respect as he would the Premier League clubs, couldn’t praise him highly enough.

If Quinn and Phillips are legends, what is Bally? Way, way above for me, legend isn’t enough.

 

Yeah but they're two local lads who support the club doting on a club legend, it wouldn't be any way else really now would it. We're a Cat 1 outfit and take our youth in from all over the world. When they're praising him I'll take more notice but you wouldn't expect anything less from those two. Not saying Bally does **** all but it's like sons praising their dad has the hard man in the playground and means little imo as it's standard and expected cause everybody does it with those they're brought to love and respect. .

He'd be the perfect football man to take a seat on the board though. Agree with that. Just not sure his coaching is up to scratch

 

SD has already said there will be a role for Ball if he wants it in one of his early interviews. He’s been doing ambassador duties more recently and has had knee problems, which probably meant he wasn’t fit enough to coach anyhow.

 

Met Bally a few times in the Little Italy restaurant at Seaburn. Nothing was ever too much bother. Great bloke and one of my all time faves at SAFC.

 

Hijacking the thread a bit

Apparently Man U and other big European club interested in Pickford. And guess what? Bain didn't put a sell on clause in the deal that saw him leave to Everton.

Another piece of crap negotiating and business from the previous regime

 

To be fair to Bain, the money we got for him at the time was considered to be brilliant.

Although Jordan had got lots of games under his belt on loans, he had only played about 30 Prem games.
Yet his fee broke the British Record for a Keeper by some margin.

More to the point I don't recall any asking about sell on clauses at the time, because we mostly thought it was a very fair deal.

Can only speak for myself but I didn't expect Jordan to become so good so quickly.

As for the two Jordans being 'startstruck' about Kevin, Henderson, possibly.
But Pickford would only have been just turned five when Ball left us as a player so it's unlikely in his case.
As has been mentioned Kevin Ball is very popular.
He gets on well with everyone in all circumstances and he's obviously a people person who I suspect is a natural 'Man Manager'.​