Sunderland youngster praises academy coaches amid contract uncertainty ahead of play-off semi-final

Sunderland midfielder Caden Kelly says academy coaches Graeme Murty and John Hewitson have transformed the under-21s side - guiding them to the semi-finals of Premier League 2.

The young Black Cats are preparing to face Reading in the last four of the competition, following a dramatic penalty shootout win over West Ham in the quarter-finals. After competing in division 2 last season, Sunderland have adapted well to the new Premier League 2 format, which placed 26 teams with category one academies into one division.

Sunderland finished seventh in the table, ensuring they reached the knockout stages, before overcoming Wolves and West Ham, coming from behind three times to draw 3-3 against the Hammers and winning on penalties.

“It was one for the neutrals,” Kelly, who scored Sunderland’s second goal against West Ham, told the Echo. “It was a great game, back and forth. I think we gave ourselves a bit of a hard time going down and coming back but we kept going to the end.

“The lads, we just fight until the end. We stick together. Don’t get me wrong we get on each others’ backs during the game but we know we are going to fight for each other until the end.”

Murty took charge of Sunderland’s under-21s side in October 2022, while assistant under-21s coach Hewitson stepped up after leading the under-18s group. Asked how much the team has improved this season, Kelly, who is into his third season with the under-21s side replied: “It’s been massive. You can’t fault what Murts has done and John, they’ve come in and been great. They’ve made us a completely different team.”

Kelly missed the first half of this season with a hamstring injury but has been in impressive form since his return, scoring three goals and providing eight assists in 12 under-21s appearances.

The 20-year-old was also named in the Black Cats’ senior squad six times during the 2023/24 campaign, yet his contract is set to expire this summer. Sunderland’s under-21s players have been told whether or not they will be offered new deals, with the club’s retained list yet to be announced.