OUR NEWEST GOLDEN OLDIE

In football terms, once you’re past 32 you’re basically an ancient artefact, an elder statesman just counting down the days until your sepia toned headshot adorns one of those “legends” cards on FIFA that have led to joyriding youths on electric scooters raving about Lev Yashin’s reflexes. Regardless of stats and fitness levels, you are going to have to endure endless conversations about your “experience” and “game management” ahead of any real kudos for your current ability.

Lionel Messi has been flying the flag for the “uncs” (a term I heard from the aforementioned scooter jockeys) at the recent Trumpfantino Soccer Championship, doing a tremendous job of it for the most part, a competition that our new boy Thomas Meunier was also an active in - quietly playing a pretty huge part in turning Belgium’s game against Senegal on its head with a nice assist for our ex-nemesis and fellow unc, Romelu Lukaku.

Sunderland have been pretty clear that they want to sign more nephews than uncles as part of our wider strategy, but over the years I’d argue that some of our most important signings have been in the latter category; Xhaka, whom we signed as 33 year old, is the obvious one. He seemed determined to prove that he could still keep up the with the pace and physicality of the Premier League, and covering more distance than any other player in the league last season (beating Elliot Anderson and our very own Noah Sadiki) certainly did that, as well as being generally really, really good at football.

Thomas Meunier, who will be 35 in September, to me feels much closer to a signing like Xhaka or Zenden or Yorke than an Andy Cole or “One Last Dance” era Jermain Defoe. One player in particular that I have a niche fondness for within this category is Anthony Réveillère, who played (to my rose tinted memory) 17 wonderfully classy games in the 14/15 season, and I’m tipping Meunier to have an even bigger impact this season.

He made 35 appearances for Lille last season, including 8 in the Europa League, where he actually put in some decent performances, despite the team’s poor showing throughout the competition. When he did start in Ligue 1, 21 times, the team played better and won more games – with Thomas registering one goal and two assists from right back. Meunier started the last eight games of the season, conceding only three goals in that run, scoring and then assisting Olivier Giroud against Marseille to secure a pivotal win to push Lille into the Champions League. This wasn’t just character and experience, this was a top quality player playing a huge part in a team’s season when it mattered most.

I obviously do understand and actually really rate the importance of having these experienced professionals as part of the squad, but I don’t think we can understate the level of immediate quality and ability that they also bring. I think Thomas Meunier will go under the radar for how important he is to, not only the future of this Sunderland team and particularly Trai Hume’s career, but the here and now of this upcoming season. If he’s anywhere close to the champagne fullback that was Anthony Réveillère, he’s got my vote.