Sunderland Stadium
Sunderland Under-21s are gearing up to face their Newcastle United counterparts at the Academy of Light on Friday afternoon. The clash will feature a familiar face in the away dugout, as former Sunderland academy and first-team coach Robbie Stockdale takes interim charge of the Magpies’ youngsters. Stockdale has stepped into the role for the second time this season following the unexpected resignation of former coach Adam Lawrence, which occurred shortly after a late home defeat against Middlesbrough. This defeat left Newcastle with only two wins from their first ten Premier League 2 fixtures this season.
Robbie Stockdale said: “I’ve done this job at Sunderland and I’ve worked as an assistant manager at senior level. We are always evolving the team. I’m not sure we have played the same players twice in a row and there are loads of different reasons for that. Sean (Neave) is involved with the first team tonight (against Manchester City), that’s the job. It’s just an opportunity for someone else to drop into this team. Particularly at this time of the year, the Under-21s, my experience tells me that it’s always changing. Players going out on loan, players getting sold like we have done. We’ve got 16 and 17-year-olds playing up so that’s the challenge but we will get on with it ultimately the job is to produce players for the first team and that’s what we will try and do.”
Stockdale added: “On a personal note, it doesn’t half make you think as a coach as well. You’ve just got to roll with it. We are here to help the players that are playing – but also to promote the ones we think can move into our first-team or get careers somewhere else in the Football League and when we do that we should get a pat on the back.”
Stockdale’s interim reign began with a challenging fixture as Newcastle suffered a 5-0 defeat against Benfica B in a Premier League International Cup tie. Despite the setback, Stockdale remains focused on the task of developing young talent for the first team. The squad has seen significant changes, with players like Sam Alabi and Leo Shahar stepping up after training with Eddie Howe’s first-team squad. Meanwhile, Sean Neave’s involvement with the senior team for the Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City highlighted the fluid nature of player availability at this level.
The match against Sunderland presents an opportunity for Stockdale to assess his squad further, as the Under-21s continue to adapt to changes and challenges. The interim coach’s experience and familiarity with both clubs will be invaluable as he navigates the complexities of youth development and first-team integration.
About The Author
