A new era at Sunderland will begin this summer with the appointment of a new manager.
The Black Cats’ Championship campaign has been difficult, with the contentious decision to replace Tony Mowbray with Michael Beale in December proving to be extremely harmful to their season.
Beale was an unpopular appointment among Sunderland fans, and he was fired in February after winning only four of his 12 games in command, with Mike Dodds taking over until the conclusion of the season.
There is pressure on owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus to make the correct decision this summer, and the eager Black Cats fan base will be looking for a much-improved season next season.
In addition to managerial turmoil, Sunderland’s playing group has undergone significant changes this season, with a number of veteran players departing, notably Lynden Gooch, Danny Batth, and Alex Pritchard.
Batth was a surprising victim of the club’s goal to reduce the average age of the squad when he moved to Norwich City in the summer, and while he may be disgruntled with the manner of his departure, he certainly made an impression during his time at the Stadium of Light.
Prior to joining Wearside, Batth had had a successful career, most notably captaining Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Championship title in 2018.
After falling out of favour at Molineux in the Premier League, Batth joined Stoke City for an initial fee of £3 million in January 2019, and soon established himself as a key member of the Potters’ defence.
Despite playing consistently for Stoke in the first half of the 2021-22 season, Batth joined Sunderland on a free transfer in January 2022, and the club’s decision proved to be excellent.
Batth was promptly inserted into the Black Cats’ starting lineup, but his time at the Stadium of Light was marred by the dismissal of Lee Johnson just weeks after his arrival.
The 33-year-old then spent time on the sidelines due to injury, but he returned towards the end of the season and played a key role in Sunderland’s promotion to the Championship under Alex Neil, starting all three playoff games.
Batth kept his spot in the Championship, forging an effective centre-back partnership with Dan Ballard, and he appeared in 42 games across all competitions, donning the captain’s armband on several occasions.
Last season, the Black Cats had a great campaign, finishing sixth in their first year back in the second division, but Batth suffered an injury at the end of the season, ruling him out of the play-offs.
Former manager Mowbray admitted that Batth was missed when his side lost to Luton Town in the semi-finals, and that the defender would have been handy in dealing with the Hatters’ aerial threat and toughness.
Batth was rewarded for his efforts by winning the club’s Player of the Year award, but he was left out of the team at the start of the season, appearing only once in the EFL Cup before joining Norwich in September.
Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman stated that it was a difficult choice to let Batth depart, telling the Sunderland Echo: “Danny is a highly respected player and has been an absolute professional throughout his time at Sunderland AFC, which is exactly why we brought him to the club.”
“He hasn’t played for our club this season, and it’s in his nature to want to play games and compete week after week. Following an open communication with him over the summer, we made the painful decision to enable him to leave the Club if the right opportunity arose, and we wish him the best.”
While Ballard and Luke O’Nien have done admirably for Sunderland this season, it is tough not to believe that a player with Batth’s experience would have helped the youthful Black Cats squad navigate a difficult season.
Batth was only at the Stadium of Light for 18 months, but the Black Cats made great progress, and he played a key role in their triumph.
