After more than four years with Sunderland, the former Birmingham City player has assisted in turning the team from League One relegation to Championship winners. However, Speakman’s path at the Academy of Light hasn’t always been easy.

Sunderland’s struggle to locate a goal-scoring striker for a considerable amount of time has been a particular grievance among supporters, and Speakman has been criticized for several of his transactions in the transfer market over the years.

Additionally, the sports director handled Sunderland’s dismal 2023–24 season, which saw two temporary stints under current first-team assistant head coach Mike Dodds and four separate management stints under Tony Mowbray and Michael Beale.

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In a recent interview with the Second Tier’s YouTube channel, Speakman stated, “I try not to get too high.””I make an effort to stay upbeat. We’re at the top of the league, therefore I’m not bouncing around the training field to celebrate our accomplishment. At the same time, I believe it’s critical to maintain composure when things are not going well.

Being collected and serene is crucial in a leadership role, in my opinion.I believe it’s quite challenging in my line of work since you have to communicate strategy.You’re attempting to convey a feeling of purpose. You are attempting to provide fans with an insight into what is going on right now, which can occasionally be really challenging.

“You know, I’ve had that internal discussion. You’re attempting to be genuine. You must speak as a leader even while you are attempting to be yourself. It’s not always simple to strike the correct balance, but sometimes it’s necessary. I don’t attempt to spend too much time on social media, in my opinion, from a critical standpoint. That’s not something I plug myself into.

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In addition to giving me a well-done and a little prod when she feels that things are going well, my wife will also say, “It’s not going well for you, sweetheart, at the moment, you know, there are a few people.”I believe that to be the case.

The pressure is a luxury if you’re lucky enough to be Sunderland’s sporting director. You have to view it that way and realize that sometimes people will believe what you’re doing is the correct thing, and other times they won’t. That is a fact of life for this kind of work.

Speakman also spent some time explaining why Sunderland did not make a hasty decision to hire a new permanent head coach last summer, arguing that their perseverance was ultimately crucial in securing Le Bris.

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