Why Sunderland’s new sporting director is the key to finding our identity

It already seems ages since we last played. But it’s fair to say that Lee Johnson has had a good start to his time at Sunderland.

As I previously suggested, we need to keep our feet on the ground – as I believe Johnson also will. He’s talking a good game, with positive soundbites, and if Sunderland can keep it up, delivering a brand of attacking football to excite, he will have the fans right behind him.

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What has been said on here – and in countless conversations – for a long time is how Sunderland has lost its sense of identity. We have looked on while smaller clubs, with vastly lower ambitions, as well as expectations, have climbed from mediocrity to establish themselves in the Premier League while we have sunk.

However short-lived, Southampton and Leicester have been in and around the top six of the Premier League for much of this wide-open season.

They have both been in Sunderland’s current position.

While since then, Leicester even managed the unthinkable (winning the title) having finished just one place above us the summer before.

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Both clubs have used a director of football.

But it's to Southampton we should look for our inspiration for our overhaul.

At League One level, Southampton employed the director of football model to great effect.

It has served them well, even while managers have changed the director of football has not only proved the catalyst for success but also given the club its much-needed continuity. But that can only be successful if the club can establish an identity and a kind of player to pursue.

To an even greater extent, Liverpool have built what some consider the start of a new dynasty with Michael Edwards in the sporting director position working closely with the talented Jurgen Klopp.

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When Manchester United’s recruitment was mentioned recently to former Red Devil and now football pundit Paul Scholes, he suggested that system wouldn’t work as well at Old Trafford – partly because United ‘haven’t really got a way of playing’.

United’s problem is as much about identity as Sunderland’s.

Upon his arrival at the Stadium of Light back in 2006, Roy Keane noted that identity was a problem for the club. He commented on the bare walls, the lack of pride shown in the club’s enormous history – and set about rectifying that. Not only that, but he galvanised his teams to fight to the final minute of games and every opponent knew they were in for a battle when facing a Keane inspired Sunderland.

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But as the manager’s door has constantly revolved in the decade since, it is difficult to properly say what qualities a Sunderland player should possess.

If the squad that Johnson inherited was anything to go by, it is short, slow, no physical strength, easily bullied, ultra-defensive, drab to watch and shy of goals.

None of those things seems to suggest a typical Lee Johnson side.

Of course, Johnson is working alongside a sporting director in Kristjaan Speakman, and the future vision for the club should be centred around attracting the young and the exciting, and building a new club identity.

To find that identity, the club should effectively return to its roots.

We’ve held many nicknames over the years, including the ‘Bank of England club’.

But our greatest periods of success were always based on finding and establishing young talent. We were quick to tap into the rich seam of talent north of the border. Indeed, the cup final team of 1973 boasted four Scots.

Back then, Sunderland were able to attract exciting young talent because we were known to give youth a chance.

In today’s competition for talent, that can still be a draw for players.

It certainly helped set Southampton apart and could be the difference in Sunderland’s long-term success.