Academy coach Paul Bryson takes to the spotlight and reveals all about his role at the Academy of Light. . .
My footballing pathway. . .
I’ve been involved in football for as long as I can remember. Football is the heartbeat of the North East so it was very easy to get into it as a young lad. I signed for Middlesbrough as a schoolboy –what it was known in those days – but unfortunately got released at 17. I then played a lot of football for non-league clubs such as Gateshead, Tow Law, Spennymoor, Eppleton, Dunstan, Chester-le-Street and I actually played until I was 43.
I thoroughly enjoyed my playing career but it was round about when I was in my early 30s that I decided to look into my coaching badges. I wasn’t sure at the time how much longer I was going to play football for so I opted to do my coaching badges. I knew Ged McNamee because I played with him in the Northern League and he offered me the chance to come into the Academy once I have done my UEFA B License.
That was pretty much my pathway into Sunderland. Since then I have worked 13 years as a part-time coach and the last two have been full time as lead phase coach for the under-12s to under-16s.
‘The aim is to create players that represent the core values typically associated with North East people.’
We have a certain philosophy in our Academy. That’s something that has changed slightly with Simon Wilson and Jimmy Sinclair but our aim is still very much to create players fit for our first team. The aim is to create players that represent the core values typically associated with North East people. We want players who can dig in, graft and show some real grit and resilience when things aren’t going their way. We believe those kind of characteristics are vital for players to push through – it is as simple as that. They could have all the ability in the world but if they aren’t going to put the work in so show the kind of grit, desire or work rate, that is iconic of this region in the county, then they aren’t going to get to where they want to.
Jordan Henderson. . .
Our academy has produced some great players and I think it is important to remember there are quite a few lads enjoying good careers in the Football League having come through our Academy. Of course, Jordan Henderson and Jordan Pickford are the ones people probably most association with our Academy, though. Henderson was very special – I have to say. I first coached him when he was 13 and he was a very technically gifted player but so determined at the same time. He had it all. He had the desire, the passion and the fight for it. He was always on at me to do extra work with him and that gave him the edge to get to where he is now. He was a pleasure to work with, he was extremely coachable, took everything on board you said and was really knowledgeable about the game as well.
A season to highlight . . .
In the youth phase this year the under-12s have won the National Futsal tournament which is a fantastic achievement. They beat Chelsea in the final so we are all delighted for them. The under-13s have reached their National Final, we beat Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Blackburn, Leeds and then Manchester City to reach the final. Last week we qualified for the Premier League Nationals and we beat Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Newcastle to qualify for that. It has been quite successful from a team perspective and hopefully that can continue.