Inside Sunderland’s goalkeeping revamp as Florent Ghisolfi pushes academy standards | OneFootball

Sunderland are revamping their goalkeeping department as part of a modernisation, with Neil Cutler leading the programme and Jonny Maddison set to be his assistant.

Sunderland Echo understands that the club are recruiting goalkeeper coaches for the under-21s and under-13 to under-18 groups, with two further full-time roles plus part-time posts under consideration at the Academy of Light.

Cutler, 49, previously coached at Wolves and worked with Emiliano Martinez at Aston Villa. His brief now covers first team and academy.

Maddison, 31, from Chester-le-Street, came through Sunderland’s youth system and was part of Leicester City’s Premier League-winning group, bringing experience of high-level academy standards.

The aim is a complete, modern and joined-up programme to meet Premier League and European demands after a rapid rise. Florent Ghisolfi is understood to be driving higher standards, with Kyril Louis-Dreyfus keen on a Premier League-level set-up.

Mark Prudhoe, 62, remains widely regarded and important, credited with helping Jordan Pickford. After a 17-club league career including Sunderland, Birmingham City and Stoke City, he will focus on younger groups and support loans and scouting.

Simon Moore provides senior know-how alongside 23-year-olds Robin Roefs and Melker Ellborg. He is taking coaching badges, feeds back to Cutler and his deal has been extended by a year.

A goalkeeping-specific sports science specialist has been added to tailor work on power, movement, landing, agility, recovery and injury prevention. Regular table tennis aids hand-eye coordination and group cohesion.

Further hires are expected, adding depth to a pathway that produced Patterson, Young and Pickford.

Source: Sunderland Echo