• The forums will be unavailable for a few hours on Saturday 6th June, when they do return they will initially be in a degraded state with some features missing, but normal posting/reading will be possible. The main website will not be affected by these updates.
    New user registrations are currently disabled.
    Some other features of the forum are also currently disabled.

Speakman gone


For the first time on this forum im going to finally talk about " the model"
Speakamn was brought in on a 5 year plan. To buy cheap young players with a high ability threshold To move us forward and deliver value by levelling up the playing staff and facilities.

NOW the 5 year paln is delivered. This seasons recipient has a distinctly different feel I would suggest Speakman/KLDs 5 year plan is delivered and we're on to the next phase. We're looking for val7e but also (Xhaka, Ronaldo, Aldrrete, Nordi) pure ability. This is the Ghisolfi phase of the plan

Speakman has done his job. Now moves on with massive credit and a very well padded CV
 
Boots said:
For the first time on this forum im going to finally talk about " the model"
Speakamn was brought in on a 5 year plan. To buy cheap young players with a high ability threshold To move us forward and deliver value by levelling up the playing staff and facilities.

NOW the 5 year paln is delivered. This seasons recipient has a distinctly different feel I would suggest Speakman/KLDs 5 year plan is delivered and we're on to the next phase. We're looking for val7e but also (Xhaka, Ronaldo, Aldrrete, Nordi) pure ability. This is the Ghisolfi phase of the plan

Speakman has done his job. Now moves on with massive credit and a very well padded CV
Click to expand...
Don't disagree with this, but can't help feel that there is a fair bit of risk introduced with him going.

Not arguing that Speakman has the level of reach and connections that Ghisolfi has. BUT that's only one element of the new set of approaches that Speakman introduced and oversaw... All the off field data analysis infrastructure; the ability to understand and apply that data; how it feeds into a revamped scouting structure; the human resilience to stick to a long-term strategy even when under intense short-term pressure (e.g., not buying a proper striker for x months/years because we could not find anyone who fits the model; continuting to play Jobe so he could amass minutes when everyone was calling for him to be rested); and probably loads more.

It may be that a) all those systems and approaches are fully embedded and understood by all the members of the leadership team; b) actually, it's KLD who they all piped into, and he's pulling the strings; or c) Ghisolfi gets it already, and it was a really clever move/well-phased bit of strategic management to keep Speakman on for a few months as 'handover'

If so, happy days. But we don't know that, so his leaving may have weakened us. Let's hope not!
 
Provider said:
I'll get taken apart for this I know but IMO he gets far too much credit for where we are now.

He came in and made some good signings early on, Pritchard, Hume, Clarke, Stewart etc but overall his business in the transfer market was very very questionable. Despite claims of a "data driven approach" it was instead lots of punts on young, inexperienced players, refusing to budge from that when it was clear we needed experience. After signing Dan Ballard permanently we went about 18 months hardly signing a player who positively impacted the first team. We're still saddled with a number of the sub standard players he signed who wouldn't even be good enough if we were still in the Championship.

There were two transfer windows when Mowbray was crying out for strikers and he responds with Geldhart, Ekwah and Anderson and then Hemir, Burstow, Ruysn and Mayenda.

Despite claims of implementing a philosophy of style of play throughout the club and lists of the next potential Head Coach, he bounced around from Lee Johnson to Alex Neil to Tony Mowbray to Michael Beale. Coaches who have very little similarities. It cumulated in the Mike Dodds debacle where I'm convinced it was an audition for the permanent job and we ended up with either the worst or second worst form in 2024.

Let's not forget that in that close season there was a poll on here where over 90% of voters wanted him out.

This followed with the shambolic managerial search in the summer of 2024 where we were seemingly turned down by our top 4/5 targets and if you read between the lines it seems like KLD has stepped in and found us RLB (via the same agent who managed many of the players at the time and French journalist Julien Laurens saying on 5Live that Reggie is only here because of Kyril).

This was the turning point as Reggie was the main reason for us going up last season IMO, immediately coming in and taking virtually the same squad of players to the top of the league and at the same time.

The summer of 2024 also saw a change in KLD's mindset to give more control to the Head Coach as we saw players such as Isidor and later on Le Fee coming in who have strong links to RLB and he was also free to not play some of the punts who he didn't think was good enough. IMO this was down to Speakman's performance the previous year.

It's no coincidence to me that as soon as we got promotion to the Premier League, KLD got a new man in and phased Speakman out in just over 6 months.
Click to expand...
An interesting take on the situation
 
smanty said:
Kristjaan Speakman has done so much behind the scenes. At the helm for 6 years, identifying and bringing in the players who helped lift us back into the Premier League after years in the dark. Taking us away from the dark period into the glory days!

In the sixth minute of the next home game, we should show our appreciation with a round of applause, and his picture should appear on the screen with the caption:

“With thanks from all at Sunderland AFC fans.”

Thoughts ?
Click to expand...
Get a grip.
 
ChicagoCat said:
Speakman's biggest value is scouting hidden gems on U21 teams and in the lower divisions. That means he has more value to other teams at this point than he does to us - so the market would suggest this is the natural move.
Click to expand...
That was Stuart Harvey mostly.
KS only direct "find" was Bellowsy junior,Hemir.
 
People are weird as fuck in here coz he signed a few duds the profit we have made or will make on just a few signings blows all the fees combined out of the water !
Jesus look at the duds Rafa Benitez signs for example who went on then manage real Madrid , I’d happily let speakman continue signing these young lads and turn them over for massive profits !!!
Fact of the matter is he is prob going onto bigger things
Gloucester said:
An interesting take on the situation
Click to expand...
Also a f***ing ridiculously shit one
Boris Bear said:
Fcuking hell man 😆

Now who’s jumping the gun
Click to expand...
How’s that ???? After the job he’s done it wouldnt surprises me if likes of
Spurs looking him with their recent shocking transfer dealings and how their fuck await needs revamping
 
Last edited:
You must be logged on to see external links

You must be logged on to see external links
2h • 2 hours ago • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn
A few weeks ago I wrote about the importance of recognising those who helped build the house, even after they’ve moved on from it. About not rewriting history, airbrushing contributions or pretending success was inevitable. That piece was about players, this one is about leadership.

Yesterday, as Sunderland ran out against Oxford, something quietly historic happened. For the first time in a little over five years, a Sunderland team took to the pitch without Kristjaan Speakman in the building.

When he arrived, we were in League One. That same weekend, we suffered a 1–0 home defeat to Wigan. Our starting eleven included Scowen, McLaughlin, Flanagan & Wright. We were a club searching for direction, searching for an identity.

We took a big swing on Kristjaan. It was a bold appointment, one hell of an opportunity for him & he repaid that faith many times over. From mid-table in League One to four points off Europe in the Premier League in less than five years. By any metric, that is some achievement.

From short-term thinking to long-term strategy. From firefighting to building foundations for sustained success. A recruitment model with coherence. A pathway with purpose. A squad profile built on asset value & upside. The identity we’d been searching for. None of which happens by accident.

And here’s the leadership lesson, whether in football or anywhere else, institutions only grow when individuals are empowered to build, not just maintain. You don’t get transformation by committee, you get it through clarity of vision, alignment & trust, all of which our ownership were brave enough to instil.

The reward for all of this has been the reaction of our greatest asset, those bigger than any executive, owner or sporting director: the fans. They were there in League One. They were there in the Championship. They’re there now in the Premier League. They are the only permanent asset a football club truly has. The emotional shareholders, the generational constant, the standard-bearers when results dip & the accelerant when belief catches fire.

Sunderland’s journey will continue, it always does. Kristjaan’s journey will continue too & wherever he goes next will be lucky to have him.

If we want to build organisations that endure, we must recognise those who helped elevate them. Gratitude isn’t weakness, it’s leadership & while the badge will always belong to the fans, our responsibility as a club is simple, we build, we evolve & we remember who helped us rise.

You must be logged on to see external links


Activate to view larger image,
 
Weststand said:
You must be logged on to see external links

You must be logged on to see external links
2h • 2 hours ago • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn
A few weeks ago I wrote about the importance of recognising those who helped build the house, even after they’ve moved on from it. About not rewriting history, airbrushing contributions or pretending success was inevitable. That piece was about players, this one is about leadership.

Yesterday, as Sunderland ran out against Oxford, something quietly historic happened. For the first time in a little over five years, a Sunderland team took to the pitch without Kristjaan Speakman in the building.

When he arrived, we were in League One. That same weekend, we suffered a 1–0 home defeat to Wigan. Our starting eleven included Scowen, McLaughlin, Flanagan & Wright. We were a club searching for direction, searching for an identity.

We took a big swing on Kristjaan. It was a bold appointment, one hell of an opportunity for him & he repaid that faith many times over. From mid-table in League One to four points off Europe in the Premier League in less than five years. By any metric, that is some achievement.

From short-term thinking to long-term strategy. From firefighting to building foundations for sustained success. A recruitment model with coherence. A pathway with purpose. A squad profile built on asset value & upside. The identity we’d been searching for. None of which happens by accident.

And here’s the leadership lesson, whether in football or anywhere else, institutions only grow when individuals are empowered to build, not just maintain. You don’t get transformation by committee, you get it through clarity of vision, alignment & trust, all of which our ownership were brave enough to instil.

The reward for all of this has been the reaction of our greatest asset, those bigger than any executive, owner or sporting director: the fans. They were there in League One. They were there in the Championship. They’re there now in the Premier League. They are the only permanent asset a football club truly has. The emotional shareholders, the generational constant, the standard-bearers when results dip & the accelerant when belief catches fire.

Sunderland’s journey will continue, it always does. Kristjaan’s journey will continue too & wherever he goes next will be lucky to have him.

If we want to build organisations that endure, we must recognise those who helped elevate them. Gratitude isn’t weakness, it’s leadership & while the badge will always belong to the fans, our responsibility as a club is simple, we build, we evolve & we remember who helped us rise.

You must be logged on to see external links


Activate to view larger image,
Click to expand...
No need naming players mind :lol:

Wright was sound anarl.
 
Gloucester said:
An interesting take on the situation
Click to expand...
I don't think it's too wide of the mark either.
Provider said:
I'll get taken apart for this I know but IMO he gets far too much credit for where we are now.

He came in and made some good signings early on, Pritchard, Hume, Clarke, Stewart etc but overall his business in the transfer market was very very questionable. Despite claims of a "data driven approach" it was instead lots of punts on young, inexperienced players, refusing to budge from that when it was clear we needed experience. After signing Dan Ballard permanently we went about 18 months hardly signing a player who positively impacted the first team. We're still saddled with a number of the sub standard players he signed who wouldn't even be good enough if we were still in the Championship.

There were two transfer windows when Mowbray was crying out for strikers and he responds with Geldhart, Ekwah and Anderson and then Hemir, Burstow, Ruysn and Mayenda.

Despite claims of implementing a philosophy of style of play throughout the club and lists of the next potential Head Coach, he bounced around from Lee Johnson to Alex Neil to Tony Mowbray to Michael Beale. Coaches who have very little similarities. It cumulated in the Mike Dodds debacle where I'm convinced it was an audition for the permanent job and we ended up with either the worst or second worst form in 2024.

Let's not forget that in that close season there was a poll on here where over 90% of voters wanted him out.

This followed with the shambolic managerial search in the summer of 2024 where we were seemingly turned down by our top 4/5 targets and if you read between the lines it seems like KLD has stepped in and found us RLB (via the same agent who managed many of the players at the time and French journalist Julien Laurens saying on 5Live that Reggie is only here because of Kyril).

This was the turning point as Reggie was the main reason for us going up last season IMO, immediately coming in and taking virtually the same squad of players to the top of the league and at the same time.

The summer of 2024 also saw a change in KLD's mindset to give more control to the Head Coach as we saw players such as Isidor and later on Le Fee coming in who have strong links to RLB and he was also free to not play some of the punts who he didn't think was good enough. IMO this was down to Speakman's performance the previous year.

It's no coincidence to me that as soon as we got promotion to the Premier League, KLD got a new man in and phased Speakman out in just over 6 months.
Click to expand...
I think there's a fair amount of truth in this.

Since that mags game in the cup, and accusations of an absent owner, I do think KLD has come to the fore a lot more and put up back on track when things were starting to slip.
 
Last edited:
Weststand said:
You must be logged on to see external links

You must be logged on to see external links
2h • 2 hours ago • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn
A few weeks ago I wrote about the importance of recognising those who helped build the house, even after they’ve moved on from it. About not rewriting history, airbrushing contributions or pretending success was inevitable. That piece was about players, this one is about leadership.

Yesterday, as Sunderland ran out against Oxford, something quietly historic happened. For the first time in a little over five years, a Sunderland team took to the pitch without Kristjaan Speakman in the building.

When he arrived, we were in League One. That same weekend, we suffered a 1–0 home defeat to Wigan. Our starting eleven included Scowen, McLaughlin, Flanagan & Wright. We were a club searching for direction, searching for an identity.

We took a big swing on Kristjaan. It was a bold appointment, one hell of an opportunity for him & he repaid that faith many times over. From mid-table in League One to four points off Europe in the Premier League in less than five years. By any metric, that is some achievement.

From short-term thinking to long-term strategy. From firefighting to building foundations for sustained success. A recruitment model with coherence. A pathway with purpose. A squad profile built on asset value & upside. The identity we’d been searching for. None of which happens by accident.

And here’s the leadership lesson, whether in football or anywhere else, institutions only grow when individuals are empowered to build, not just maintain. You don’t get transformation by committee, you get it through clarity of vision, alignment & trust, all of which our ownership were brave enough to instil.

The reward for all of this has been the reaction of our greatest asset, those bigger than any executive, owner or sporting director: the fans. They were there in League One. They were there in the Championship. They’re there now in the Premier League. They are the only permanent asset a football club truly has. The emotional shareholders, the generational constant, the standard-bearers when results dip & the accelerant when belief catches fire.

Sunderland’s journey will continue, it always does. Kristjaan’s journey will continue too & wherever he goes next will be lucky to have him.

If we want to build organisations that endure, we must recognise those who helped elevate them. Gratitude isn’t weakness, it’s leadership & while the badge will always belong to the fans, our responsibility as a club is simple, we build, we evolve & we remember who helped us rise.

You must be logged on to see external links


Activate to view larger image,
Click to expand...
Doesn't explain why he he has gone though
?

And does anyone else. Find Pearlman's short sentence style. f***ing annoying. Really irritating. Like lots.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top