Regris Le Bris likes to start fast. After twelve games, his Sunderland team currently sit in seventh place on nineteen points. They have won five, drawn four and lost three, leading to praise for their form. They have surprised many, acting as this season’s bite back against the so-called ‘Big Six’ but how will they fare in the coming months? With a difficult run of fixtures ahead it feels like the Black Cats are about to face their biggest test yet, one they have never been more prepared for.
In a recent interview with Sky Sports, owner Kyril-Louis Dreyfus stated the club have not “really set [them]selves a budget” and that they are preparing for contrasting scenarios come Christmas. It appears Sunderland’s openness to budget means they possess the ability to either fight relegation or push for European places; something which seems increasingly likely based on current form.
Whilst fellow newcomers Leeds and Burnley are being dragged into a relegation scrap, Sunderland’s nineteen points seem to have already secured them a second season in the Premier League. Truthfully, their presence feels unanimously needed. Not only by the club, but by the Premier League itself.
For too long the Premier League has been a series of businesses rather than a competition. Clubs such as Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford work on a buy and sell premise, bringing in top level players for a season, developing them, and then selling them on for big money, utilising this to retain their Premier League status. In contrast, clubs like Sunderland bring not only large fanbases but also market competition for players; not players they aim to buy and sell, players they seek to keep. Consequently, the competition in the Premier League instantly increased simply through Sunderland’s promotion. The same premise applies for clubs such as Leeds, Forest and most relevantly Newcastle. Whereas the Premier League has previously been made up of an inescapable series of selling organisations content to bathe in mid-table security/obscurity, clubs such as these promote the overall business to new levels, driving the sport back to the forefront.
Bigger clubs mean bigger matches. This leads to higher viewing figures for Premier League games. Furthering this, the bigger the club, the bigger the history. This evokes numerous rivalries, evoking mouth watering prospects every weekend. Finally, bigger clubs bring bigger fanbases. This leads to better atmospheres, better support and ultimately better entertainment, the one thing the Premier League has claimed to be about from the start. In many ways, the survival of Sunderland is not only a desirable, it is a necessity. One which shakes up the monotonous narrative which has begun to unravel in recent seasons.
Sunderland may not win the league anytime soon. They may not even qualify for Europe. But what they will surely provide is a greater spark to the Premier League flame. Seeing a sold out Stadium of Light, with a 48,707 seat capacity, 37,400 seats more than Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium, it feels Sunderland have returned to their rightful place. The Premier League should ultimately be about excitement. And belief. Fans should be able to believe their clubs can compete; that they can be promoted and challenge the hierarchy, that in fact, there should not be a hierarchy at all; the league should possess twenty teams all scrapping it out for ultimate glory. Not content sitting in 14th, cashing in another cheque.
The commitment of the Black Cats’ owners to spending offers great promise, encouraging the belief that perhaps this team can do what they failed to do last season – continue to perform. They have so far played the system cleverly in both recruitment and playstyle – though their average 30% possession will undoubtedly have to change – reminding us what they can offer the greatest league in the world. They may have the freedom to spend, they may be willing to push financial fair play, but it feels about time someone else had a turn. After all, Chelsea and City do it. Why shouldn’t Sunderland?
