Phil Smith and Jason Jones dissect what Sunderland should do in this summer's transfer window and the types of players that should be added to Regis Le Bris' squad on the latest episode of the Roar Podcast.
00:00I think those sort of signings for Sunderland wouldn't necessarily go amiss.
00:04I think that bringing in a few players who know the league, who are sort of well versed in the division and who are able to just offer something a little bit different, not just on the pitch, but certainly in terms of the dressing room as well.
00:16I think that's vital. You know, Sunderland are sort of, they're almost quite uniquely placed in the sense that there aren't many clubs who've come up in recent seasons who are so lacking in Premier League experience.
00:28I mean, off the top of my head, and I could be completely wrong here, but I'm struggling to think of it.
00:32Obviously, Chris Meppman's gone now, isn't he? He's gone back to Bournemouth.
00:35So, take him out and you're like, well, how many of these players have actually played in the top line?
00:40Not many, if any. You know, and so I think for that reason, Sunderland will surely have to go to bring in at least a couple of players who've played in the division before, surely.
00:49It's interesting though, isn't it? Because like, also, you know, you're kind of watching the Premier League rumour mill pick up pace and stuff.
00:59And although I do think Sunderland will add a bit of Premier League experience, you have a right smile when you read links with players in their mid-20s,
01:06knocking on 30 and Sunderland getting linked with paying X million and this in wages.
01:11And you think, yeah, you really need to read up on how Sunderland have changed in the last eight years since they're at this level, because that just ain't happening.
01:20I think it's a really interesting debate for me, because at every point of this kind of project and step, we've kind of gone, yeah, but you can't do it again.
01:29You can't just keep doing this.
01:31And I kind of find myself saying that a little bit again now going into the Premier League, just because I think the scale of the jump from the Championship to the Premier League is so massive.
01:39But it's interesting that my personal feeling, I don't know what you think, is I'm less interested in Premier League experience.
01:45I'm more interested in top tier experience.
01:48I'm not necessarily obsessed with the idea that you need players who've played at the Premier League before.
01:52But what I'm hoping to see from the bulk of someone's recruits is a little bit of a track record of doing it at the top level.
01:59If that's in a European league, you know, if it's in someone who's played quite a bit in the French top division or anything like that.
02:05But I think it's for me, it's more about players who have experience in the sort of tactical and the intensity of the top level, if that makes sense.
02:15And that's why I do think there's going to have to be a bit of a shift this summer.
02:19I don't think you can throw in too many players who've never played senior football before at Premier League level.
02:24I don't think there's going to be a bit of a shift.
