Tim Sherwood calls for figure to be handed a knighthood after what’s happened at Sunderland
Tim Sherwood has hailed Sunderland’s head of recruitment for the business conducted in the summer.
Sunderland have enjoyed a flying start back in the Premier League and are continuing to prove people wrong this season.
Regis Le Bris has rightly been praised for the work he is doing with the Black Cats still pushing their own boundaries.
Premier League survival was the main goal before a ball was kicked this season, but Mackem fans are starting to dream big after impressive results.
But as Sherwood has now alluded to, a lot of the credit falls on Sunderland’s former head of recruitment, Stuart Harvey.
Tim Sherwood claims Granit Xhaka is the ‘signing of the season’
Sunderland announced on their official website in October that they had parted ways with Harvey, with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman stating he made a “significant” impact while acting as head of recruitment.
Sunderland spent over £161million in the summer, with 15 players being brought in by not only Harvey, but also Speakman and footballing director Florent Ghisolfi as well.
- Xhaka cost Sunderland £17.3m
- Sunderland also brought in Simon Adingra for £21m
- The Black Cats broke their transfer record on Habib Diarra in a deal which cost £30m
While speaking on Sky Sports News on Wednesday, Sherwood explained how impressed he’s been with Sunderland and why Harvey deserves his praise.
Sherwood said: “I don’t think anyone honestly expected Sunderland to be in the position they’re in. The head of recruitment should be knighted in my opinion – he’s done a wonderful job.
“Granit Xhaka has been the signing of the season. When you’re a manager, you need a reference on the pitch, someone you can trust, and he’s the man for that.”
However, it’s hard to pinpoint all of Sunderland‘s transfer success on one man, especially one who isn’t even at the club anymore.
While Sherwood has a very strong point, but the importance of Speakman and Ghisolfi cannot be overlooked either.
Sunderland’s success is not just on one man
At the end of the day, there must have been a good reason as to why Harvey left following the conclusion of Sunderland’s summer transfer window.
Either way, he played his part, but multiple Sunderland figures have worked collectively in bringing success to the Stadium of Light.
Kyril Louis‑Dreyfus sanctioned all of the signings, and he has been the man to dip his hands deep into his pockets to give Le Bris the resources he needed.
As a result of everyone’s contribution, the Mackems are moving in the right direction, and the prospect of European football cannot be ruled out.
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