Matty Young moves to Salford on loan — but have Sunderland made the right decision?

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Paddy Hayes says...

The fact that this move has failed to capture the imaginations of many fans speaks volumes on our hopes for Young and his career. That said, as a goalkeeper at 18, to be getting any minutes in professional football is some going, and is often indicative of a player forecasted to reach the very top, à la Pickford.

At this moment in time, any EFL move for Young is not a move wasted (providing he plays!), and will only serve to fast track his development. While keeping him around the squad during our

return to the Premier League would certainly have its benefits, it’s the invaluable experience on the pitch during his formative years that will ultimately shape him into the player he has the potential to become.

Real-world practice in the pressure-cooker that is professional football trumps academy/age-group games in terms of intensity, expectation, and high stakes.

While I think a move to a League One side was certainly realistic, the difference between the lower end of the third tier and the upper echelons of the fourth is minimal. I’d also much rather him playing in a side where he isn’t getting peppered every week, which’ll undermine his confidence and a successful loan spell.

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Malc Dugdale says...

I think this is the right thing for Matty and the club, but I do think he is good enough to be a level above the loan he has taken.

The risk of a loan to a League One or Championship club is that he would get less game time, however. Salford have made it clear he goes there as their starting keeper unless injured, and this is the best way for him to hone and develop his skills. He is an 18-year-old lad and will be playing against time-served, physical, and capable footballers of all ages. That’s precisely what he needs.

I think this does indicate that we still have a few options for additional stoppers for the first team, as if the list was running short he could well have been a third choice in the Prem for us, but that would give him virtually no football at all (maybe a couple of cup games) and would stifle his stellar future potential rather than enhance it.

It was good enough in the early career for Pickers, and look how he did…

I wish Matty all the best, as in the next season or two he will be ready to be fighting for our keeper shirt, hopefully with us still in the Premier League and growing year on year across all aspects of the squad.

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Jack Gingell says...

He’s a very young keeper and needs to be playing regularly. The lad has clear ability, and a loan to a League Two side is a great place to cut your teeth and be tested.

It’ll be physical, and I’m sure he’ll have plenty to do. He did well there last season, with a good run of clean sheets if my memory serves me correctly.

I think some are being a bit sniffy about it being a League Two side, but where was Jordan Pickford playing at the same age? Loans with Darlington and Alfreton Town, followed by Burton and Carlisle in subsequent seasons - if anything, Young is ahead of that trend, and already playing at a higher level.

It’ll be a great opportunity for him to continue developing, as with our current job of getting in the mix within the Premier League, he shouldn’t be sitting around doing nothing when he could be getting valuable time as a (hopefully!) first-choice goalkeeper.

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John Wilson says...

I rarely seem to get angry or puzzled by a board decision at the SOL these days. Whatever my logic or reasoning says, I’m certain that the same thoughts will have been discussed at the highest level.

Has any club at Championship or League One level been interested in him? We don’t know - and if no one has, it’s a non-discussion. He certainly needs to be playing at a decent level every week. There is no better way to learn and gain valuable experience.

But would he gain ‘better’ experience playing at a higher level? Even if a club at a higher level was interested, it could be a moot point. Goalkeepers have a unique position in a football team.

One could argue that whilst an outfield player can learn from players around him and improve their game by being around them, it may not be quite as black and white for a goalkeeper. They have to block shots, collect crosses, marshal a defence - Matty will still be required to do all of the above at Salford. I would suggest that at this stage of his career, growing physically, growing in confidence, knowledge, and awareness are all very valuable lessons.

The biggest assurance that I hope the club has is that he’ll be used for the majority of the season; otherwise, it’s pointless.

We seem to have a potential gem in Mr Young. I can only assume the club, goalkeeping coaches, etc, know exactly what path they have set out for him, and that it is a path that will see him be our number one keeper in the Premier League one day. Good luck, Matty.

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