It’s been a while since we did these editorial pieces for the website and, after a ridiculously busy period where it’s felt like Sunderland have been playing every couple of days, it feels like an appropriate time to bring them back as a regular feature here on the website. So, thanks very much for checking in and for continuing to read Roker Report’s daily output as we navigate through 2026!
This website has just had its 15th birthday, which is a bit mad, really. When our founder, Simon Walsh, created
Roker Report in 2010 as a platform to express his own views on Sunderland AFC, I doubt that he could have imagined how many legs this thing would have grown over the years, but we of course thank him for having the vision to gift the fans of this great club with such a vital resource for the expression of fan opinion. I’m forever grateful to him for that, and having been the custodian of this here vessel for the last eleven years or so, I’m aware of the privilege it affords me. Getting to chat each day about my team, particularly at the moment, is an absolute joy.
Anyways, that’s enough of the fluff. Back to the here and now. SUNDERLAND. Ah, Sunderland. For much of my time as the editor of Roker Report and an on/off host of our Podcast you’ve been absolutely SHITE and brought me nowt but misery, but at the minute… it’s fun. It’s delightful. I bloody love supporting this club right now.
What a team we’ve got. It’s just a privilege to sit and watch them at times, I think. Granit Xhaka is almost too perfect for Sunderland… if you could design a prototype for what a Sunderland captain should be, it’d be him. Fearless, aggressive, elite in every single aspect of his game and his lifestyle. If only he were five years younger… he’s just immense. O’Nien, Sadiki, Le Fée, Roefs, Ballard, Hume, Mukiele, Reinildo, Brobbey, Isidor, Rigg… I could go on and on, but I love them all. They’re just mint.
That said, it’s been a rough couple of weeks, because with losing so many players to AFCON and then a handful of injury problems creeping in, there’s been that fear that we could slip up. We’ve navigated the majority of the games since mid-December really well, but Brentford last Wednesday was just one game too far, and how we responded to such a crushing defeat and the Le Fée penalty mistake was crucial. We rebounded excellently against Everton, playing with a verve and zip that was missing from the previous few performances, and the reintroduction of Noah Sadiki added so much to our midfield. We scored a quality goal from a quality footballer, and then, despite the best efforts of the referee to derail us, we waltzed through the penalty shootout thanks to three really well-taken spot kicks and three saves from our world-class goalkeeper. Fun.
Now, really, the only way should be up. We can spend the next fortnight or so fine-tuning our squad, moving players on who ought to be playing their football elsewhere, and bringing in a small handful of quality additions who can aid our push up the table.
January has to be a net positive for us, both on and off the field. We have some very winnable games to come, and we can improve what is already a brilliant squad, which is such a luxury. If we can pick up some wins and also add more quality to our ranks, we’ll be sat dreaming of a good FA Cup run and a high finish in the table, and then who knows what might happen next – we could be back at Wembley, and we could be playing in Europe next season.
It might seem a step too far to some supporters, but I wouldn’t rule anything out.
2025 was the best year I’ve ever had supporting this club, and what it taught me is that I should never write this club off. For too many years now we’ve been told we’re a sleeping giant, and for the first time since the days of Reidy, Quinn, and Phillips we actually look like we might start realising our potential, which is crucial.
We cannot waste this opportunity and, thankfully, I feel like we’ve got the people in place to ensure we don’t.
