Fan Letters: “David Bruce would be a positive appointment for Sunderland”

Dear Roker Report,

In recent months, the club has come in for immense criticism regarding ticket sales, the club shop and the retail department, and rightly so.

However, it’s been reported that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus appears to be taking action by appointing Major League Soccer’s chief marketing officer David Bruce.

Hopefully this guy will transform the club and shake up the marketing department, which, at the moment, is a shambles.

Stuart Lathan

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Stuart. Thanks for your letter.

I agree that the potential appointment of David Bruce would be a hugely positive step forward.

He’s obviously got vast experience from his time in America, and they certainly know how to market football to an audience, as demonstrated by the ever-growing popularity of the MLS and the fan experience that most clubs provide.

If he can have a similar impact at the Stadium of Light and help to unlock the vast potential of the club from a marketing point of view, things will start to look a lot more promising off the field.

We need people of a higher calibre in key positions, and he certainly fits the bill.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

If Ross Stewart leaves, I hope he goes to Scotland or to the Premier League, because I’d hate to see him join Middlesbrough!

We don’t have to sell him, he cost us very little and he doesn’t owe us anything, so let him play out his contract and see where we are.

We can make him an offer just like anyone else. Keeping him might make the difference and if we go up, money won’t be an issue.

Jim Wales

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Jim. Thanks for getting in touch.

I agree that Stewart doesn’t owe us anything. He’s been a hugely successful signing and his goals, both in League One and during his injury-interrupted debut Championship campaign, have been crucial as we’ve progressed significantly since 2021.

I’m absolutely certain that he’ll still be a Sunderland player when the transfer window closes. I think that potential suitors might see his current injury status as a risk, coupled with the fact that they could potentially sign him for free in a year’s time.

Hopefully he’ll get himself fully fit and when he returns, he should be able to make a positive contribution for us during the upcoming season. Call me an eternal optimist, but I don’t think we’ve seen the last of the ‘Loch Ness Drogba’ in Sunderland colours.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

I completely disagree regarding the Jordan Henderson criticism.

If he’d moved to Saudi Arabia two years ago, I would be asking questions about his moral compass, but did he have any seasons left to play in the Premier League?

The only thing is the honesty that should be talked about.

Sean

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Sean. Thanks for getting in touch.

Personally, I think Henderson still had a lot to give at the highest level. He might not be the force of old, but there’s still plenty left in the tank and I'm sure that many Premier League teams would’ve been interested in signing him.

Perhaps it was a case of him not wanting to line up for the opposition when facing Liverpool.

Maybe that factored into his thinking as he considered his next move, but he certainly won’t have that problem in Saudi Arabia, and the hefty pay cheque will make things even sweeter as well.

Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images