Sunderland legends Gary Bennett and Marco Gabbiadini have agreed on one thing about the current state of the club.
Sunderland are very much in a period of transition, entering into a summer which will define the next few years and the trajectory under owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.
He and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman are under pressure to deliver this summer; in terms of hiring the right manager and in making some good signings in the transfer market.
For Speakman, the main aim remains signing a striker, and a prolific one after seeing the likes of Luis Hemir, Nazariy Rusyn, and Mason Burstow all struggle in 2023/24.
But another key area needs to be addressed and that’s the lack of experience within the team, which appears to have played a huge factor in the downturn in form in 2024.
Michael Beale previously said the squad lacks experience. Mike Dodds went on to say the same thing. And Gabbiadini recently suggested so as well.
Former boss Alex Neil apparently left over a dispute regarding transfers at Sunderland, with Neil wanting experienced, Championship-quality players, but the club wanting youth.
Gabbiadini recently said Neil has gone on to be ‘proved right’ about the model, with Bennett now giving his verdict on the matter.
Gary Bennett calls for experience in Sunderland squad
As quoted by Mirror, Bennett gave his thoughts on the current state of the Sunderland first-team.
Bennett said: “I think everyone knows where it has gone wrong, we have got some very good young players, but you also need that blend and a little bit of experience.
“I think if we have had that then we would not have been too far away.”
So Beale, Dodds, Gabbiadini and Bennett, and indeed many of the Sunderland fans now think that a lack of experience is a key flaw within the current team.
Whether those behind the scenes share the same views remains to be seen. But one recent decision from the club may be baffling to both Gabbiadini and Bennett, and perhaps even to Dodds.
Sunderland release Corry Evans
Sunderland recently announced their retained list with Bradley Dack and Corry Evans among those who have been released.
Dack’s exit seemed inevitable after a tough solo season at the Stadium of Light, blighted by injury.
And many would’ve expected Evans to leave after missing the vast majority of the campaign through injury. But after returning to action in the final weeks, there was an inkling that he could be kept on.
The Sunderland club captain, Evans managed to make three appearances in the 2023/24 Championship season, all coming in the final three games.
The 69-cap Northern Ireland international was a sore miss during his 16 months on the sidelines, with the Black Cats desperately missing his leadership, experience, and steel in the middle of the park.
And not only do Sunderland lack in that position, but they also lack someone with his experience, so letting him go after he’d just made is return to action may be a surprising decision to Gabbiadini and Bennett within the debate around the lack of experience in the side.
Evans would’ve gone into pre-season with a chance to get fully up to match speed. And he showed some good glimpses in the final games to say he’d been sidelined for so long, coming back in at a very difficult time as well.
At 33 years old, he’s certainly beyond the age of players that Speakman and Louis-Dreyfus want at Sunderland, but maybe not beyond the age of someone who still has a lot to offer in the Championship.
Letting him go might have been a slightly rash decision.