Sunderland AFC is delighted to announce the appointment of Kristjaan Speakman as the club’s new Sporting Director.
The 41-year-old arrives at the Academy of Light to take on the newly-created role as part of a restructuring of the club’s football operations. After departing Birmingham City following an outstanding 14-year tenure, Speakman will lead SAFC’s overall football programme, including player identification, development and acquisitions across the first team and academy.
Working alongside Chief Executive Officer Jim Rodwell, he will also take primary responsibility for reviewing and implementing new strategies to develop the club’s footballing infrastructure, with an emphasis on data analytics and innovation, and providing a clear pathway from the younger age groups to the first team.
After a spell coaching within Derby County’s academy, Speakman moved to Birmingham City in 2006. He
spent eight years as the Blues’ Academy Manager following his appointment in 2011 before progressing into the role of Academy Director in 2018 where his remit extended across first-team operations.
The strategies and philosophies implemented during his time at St Andrew’s led to the recruitment and development of a plethora of notable academy graduates, including England internationals Jack Butland, Demarai Gray, Nathan Redmond and Jude Bellingham. During the 2019-20 season alone, ten players developed by Birmingham’s academy system made their first-team debuts.
Speaking about his appointment, Speakman said: “I have been tasked with delivering a best-in-class player development model from the academy through to the senior squad and given a realistic timeframe and budget with which to do so. It is an absolute honour to have been invited to do this at one of England’s biggest clubs.
“The blueprint for the future and the ambition to create a sustainable structure with a clear identity is one I will work diligently and passionately to bring to fruition for Sunderland fans. I’m grateful for the autonomy granted me by the ownership group to pursue this plan and create something we can all be proud of.
“We understand the frustration of the present circumstances and whilst we seek patience and continued support for the longer-term objectives, we are absolutely determined to fix key issues in the short term to establish a winning team. The task of appointing a Head Coach who is both aligned to the overall plan and capable of impacting the team’s performance and style in the immediate weeks and months is a priority above all else.
“I fully understand the potential of the football club and I’m looking forward to working collectively with staff, players and fans to restore the club to its rightful place in the Premier League. There’s no doubt about the size of the task ahead of us and the need to be pragmatic in our approach, but we all share the same dream and the work starts now to make this a reality.”