Sunderland: Imagine Mumba and Mowbray

Sunderland have a proficient crop of younger gamers in and across the first-team arrange this season and the longer term is trying brilliant on the Stadium of Gentle.

The likes of Daniel Neil, Edouard Michut, Jewison Bennette, Anthony Patterson, and Jack Clarke are all up-and-coming gamers who might be hoping to fulfil their potential within the years to come back.

Nevertheless, the Black Cats haven’t all the time had one of the best of luck with promising younger gems. One participant who left earlier than he may make his mark within the first crew was wing-back Bali Mumba and that may be a disgrace, in hindsight, as he could be good for Tony Mowbray in 2022.

Throughout the 2018/19 marketing campaign, then-manager Jack Ross performed the academy product in four League One matches and named him within the beginning line-up twice after seemingly being impressed by his shows within the youth facet.

The Scottish boss was the primary head coach at hand the dynamo a league begin, as he had solely performed three minutes of Championship motion previous to that season.

Nevertheless, Phil Parkinson then arrived within the dugout to exchange Ross and didn’t hand the teenager a single look within the first crew throughout the 2019/20 marketing campaign, which led to the gem’s exit from Wearside.

He was bought to Championship facet Norwich Metropolis for a reported charge of £350k, as he entered the ultimate yr of his contract on the Stadium of Gentle, in the summertime of 2020.

Was Mumba value greater than £350k?

Mumba gained the second division title with the Canaries and made one look within the Premier League the next marketing campaign earlier than being loaned out to Peterborough, the place he performed 13 instances.

The complete-back, who journalist Josh Bunting dubbed “magnificent” was then despatched out on mortgage to Plymouth Argyle in League One this season and he has been in terrific type for the membership up to now, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.01 throughout 17 appearances.

For reference, that may be a increased ranking than present full-back/wing-backs Lynden Gooch (6.77), Dennis Cirkin (6.76), Trai Hume (6.73), and Niall Huggins (6.70) managed within the third tier for the Black Cats last season.

Mumba has racked up three objectives and seven assists in his 17 league outings for Plymouth as he has caught the attention while taking part in as a left wing-back, though he’s additionally capable of taking part in on both flank in a again 4 or 5, and may play in central midfield.

Subsequently, the 21-year-old, who has been described as a “baller” by Yannick Bolasie, could be good for Mowbray within the present Championship season.

The Sunderland head coach has switched between a 4 and five-back formation all through the marketing campaign and Mumba’s versatility, together with the excellent high quality he has proven forward of the present choices in these areas, make him an ideal match for a dynamic tactical set-up.

What may have been…