Julio Arca
Sunderland AFC is on the brink of a historic moment, with a potential European qualification match against Chelsea at the Stadium of Light. Former Sunderland midfielder Julio Arca, who has remained a beloved figure on Wearside, shared his insights on the club’s remarkable progress and future aspirations during an appearance on The Echo’s Disco Pants Podcast with LiveScore.
Julio Arca said: “Yeah, it feels like a home, you know, just today arriving in the Stadium, you’re still seeing people that have been working at the stadium for a long, long time. A few years ago, I was helping the Salvation Army, putting on some football sessions, trying to help the boys and girls over there. Yeah, I don’t think many people expected that, to be honest with you. But obviously, last season it was good, it was tough, you know, the Championship is always hard to get out of there. This season was about doing the right recruitment to obviously not survive but just to stay in the league, and obviously, the recruitment paid off because some of the players that arrived in the club did really, really well, probably better than what people expected. It shows much obviously the club has progressed in the amount of ten months, how good the players have done, how good the managers have done. And that’s what you need when you have a group of things that are working well together; things normally pay off. So hopefully today they get a win, and hopefully next season we start travelling around Europe. Then obviously it will depend on Sunderland letting go or keep them. Again, if you want to maintain yourself in the top ten, you might have to recruit again, not as much as before, but you’re going to have to recruit some players. I heard Chelsea are interested in a couple of players, Man United. I think the last few years, Sunderland has been more recognised internationally, especially when the Netflix series came out. I know it wasn’t a good time for Sunderland throughout the series, but it became well-known everywhere. Obviously, this season, after this season, it just became well-known among players as well. Players are thinking Sunderland is doing well. If I get a chance to go there, I’ll probably not think twice because they could play Europe. So it became a well-known team around Europe and around the world. They have a strong group of players now, and you know what it’s like, if you have two or three seasons and finish top 10, top 12, then it’s easy to attract players. Hopefully that’s the case this time. I think the main thing is not to think too much ahead, if you know what I mean. Think, oh, we’re going to win the league or the Champions League and, you know, all that. I think, you know, what they’ve done this season is fantastic. It’s like you can’t ask for a bad season. Now, can we do the same next season? Can we maintain ourselves in the top eight? And then when you have that platform of top ten, top eight for a few seasons, can we push up for, you know, Europa League? Well, hopefully it happens today, but can we try again next season? And then, obviously, it should grow up as a team. A couple of seasons in the Premier League, the platform is strong enough, strong enough to stay. It’s like anything. You have to update the system, don’t you? You have to update the team, because if you keep the same team for five years, it will probably deteriorate.”
Arca’s reflections highlight the transformation Sunderland has undergone, particularly in the past ten months. The club’s strategic recruitment has not only ensured survival in the league but also positioned them for potential European competition. The Netflix series “Sunderland ‘Til I Die” has raised the club’s international profile, making it an attractive destination for players.
As Sunderland stands on the verge of European qualification, the focus remains on sustaining this success. Arca emphasized the importance of not getting ahead of themselves and maintaining a strong foundation in the top ten. The club’s fan base, stadium, and academy provide a solid platform for future growth, but continuous improvement and strategic recruitment are essential to avoid stagnation.
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