Who will wear the armband next season as Corry Evans is expected to leave the team and there may be changes in store for the summer? Phil West considers a few possible applicants
Luke Nien The current captain and a man who is stil regarded as a valuable member of the Sunderland team despite all of his detractors. In 2023 and 2024, O’Nien frequently struggled, but when healthy and available, he was a lock for the starting lineup. Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding his status as a “proper” central defender and his antics when grappling at corners, O’Nien rarely let the team down and wasn’t afraid to mentor and advise his younger teammates.
But may O’Nien find himself more of a squad player for 2024–2025, with Sunderland’s defense clearly in need of reinforcements this summer, sparked by the signing of at least one excellent center back? Since joining Sunderland in 2018, he has never lost the respect of a head coach. Should he continue to play under Michael Beale’s permanent replacement, he will undoubtedly be motivated to guide the Lads to even greater success the next season.
Dan Ballard Ballard’s form appeared to decline after the crushing FA Cup loss to Newcastle in January, making him a player about whom transfer rumors are sure to swirl after two outstanding seasons in red and white. Even so, he is still a class act when he is performing well and has a strong leadership background—he led Arsenal’s junior teams before moving to Sunderland, in addition to being a full Northern Ireland international.
Ballard appears to be a good fit for the position given his understated, professional demeanor on the field. Ballard, who is normally dependable for consistently strong performances, prefers to let his football do the talking, in contrast to O’Nien, who is more expressive. There won’t be any questions about Ballard’s place as our first-choice central defense pairing when the summer transfer market finally closes, and Ballard’s assumption of the armband would mark the next phase of his Sunderland career.
Hume Trai Another Northern Ireland international who is a true fan favorite, the January 2022 signing from Linfield has made a name for himself as one of the best deals of the last few years thanks to his tough defense-minded mindset, love of a thunderous challenge, and stamina. Hume appears to be a young player with an older head, and I have no doubt that if we can keep him around for a few more seasons, given his ceiling and potential for growth following a somewhat inconsistent 2023–2024 campaign, he could become a modern-day Sunderland legend.
In light of this, is it possible that giving him the Sunderland captaincy will enable him to progress even more in 2024–2025? Similar to Ballard, Hume should be a lock to start when healthy, and maybe our new head coach will see his maturing into the ideal candidate to lead us on the field going forward.
Dan Neil Could becoming Sunderland’s captain be Neil’s next dream job, assuming we can hang onto the midfield master past the summer? More than any other player, he is our team’s lifeblood, and it would be an amazing tale if he were chosen as captain and tasked with guiding the Lads into the upcoming campaign. Furthermore, it would uphold the legendary custom of local boys being granted the privilege of donning the armband—a practice that dates back to the era of the legendary Raich Carter.
But may it also have the unintended consequence of suppressing his innate abilities? The last thing that needs to happen is for Neil’s ability to concentrate only on his function in the red and white engine room, as that is where he seems to thrive. For me, it’s a somewhat feasible alternative, but not impossible.
