I was always pretty useless at physics at school but I could understand the basics of what a pivot was. On a see-saw it's what allows either side to descend. That is what Alex Pritchard does in a game, he can in an instant switch play from one part of the ground to the other with his excellent distribution and almost scary sixth sense of when this needs to be done.
But to be pivotal also means to change the course of something and how many times has Pritchard done this for the benefit of the team either, coming on as a substitute, as he did against West Brom, or when deservedly starting the game, as he did against Leeds. The Chronicle and the Echo gave him a nine for last night's performance as does ALS and for me he was certainly man of the match yesterday. I never forget that Pritchard was crucial in helping to get Sunderland out of our imprisonment in League One when, in the play off final, his uncanny knack to make a critical pass gave Ross Stewart the ball to give us our second goal and a feeling of having 'done it' at Wembley.
Some of his passing, the outrageous flicks and back heels, the wonderful delivery to Dan Neil against West Brom, the pass to Bellingham against Leeds are almost South American in their skill. But then there are also his devastating set piece deliveries, accompanied by his idiosyncratic hand signals at corners, which can change the course of a game in an instant as they almost did against Leeds several times.
Then there is the pervasiveness of his character, which Tony Mowbray so often praised - “a great influence in the club, the changing room and on the pitch.” And, of course, his invaluable experience amongst so many young players. And don't forget his character too, shown when he was elbowed in the face near the end of the West Brom game but never batted an eyelid, just that cheeky bearded smile revealing itself yet again.
So, what does this all add up to? Well let me be totally unambiguous, Pritchard has too much irreplaceable talent and character to ever think we could let him go. Yet astonishingly that is just what the club seemed prepared to do in the last transfer window. Well not this time please KLD and Kristjaan Speakman, if you are reading this!
Finally, well done Mike Dodds for taking the helm and helping to deliver two much needed wins though it looks like our next manager will be a Frenchman or a Swede. So many experienced media pundits and commentators have reflected on how Jurgen Klopp did not take long to “get” Liverpool.
Whether our next manager is a Frenchman or a Swede I hope he is quickly able to “get” Sunderland in the way that that Klopp was able to engage fully with the culture of Liverpool – the club, the city and its people. Our club with its remarkable supporters and a city, which breathes to the rhythm of the team's fortunes, deserves no less as well.
