Former Sunderland boss Lee Johnson might be out of football at the moment, but that hasn’t stopped him from telling The Real EFL which current Championship striker he’d sign tomorrow, given the chance.
Johnson, who was last in work at Fleetwood Town, was speaking to us exclusively through Bristol Street Motors after the Group Stage draw, a competition he won with Sunderland in 2020/21. He left the Mackems in 2022 after a poor run of results and remains a divisive figure on Wearside.
He’s between jobs at the minute, but with spells at the Stadium of Light, Bristol City, and Hibernian on his CV, he’s likely to be back in work soon.
With that in mind, he’s keeping tabs on everything EFL, and identified one player he would try to sign this summer, were he in a job.
“I’d probably try and loan Joe Taylor from Luton,” he said. “You know, he did really well last year at Colchester, he did really well then at Lincoln in the second half of the season.
“I think he’s got a bright future. You know, he’s young enough to keep advancing and keep doing well. So, I’d be tapping on Luton Town’s door to try and get him onside.”
He has also tipped Fleetwood Town’s 23-year-old midfielder, Promise Omochere, to have a breakout season this year, possibly in the BSM Trophy. He managed the Irishman during his spell with the Cod Army and saw something he liked.
“One of my old players at Fleetwood, Promise Omochere, is someone I really liked. I think he’s raw in terms, but he’s physically strong. He affects games.
“I think he’s got goals in him, so I’d expect him to be up there with the top goal-scorers in that competition.”
Johnson had a torrid 2023/24 season, being sacked by both Hibernian and Fleetwood before Christmas. After the second dismissal, he took time out to run online seminars for coaches.
To date, the EFL Trophy win with the Black Cats in 2020/21 remains his only trophy as a manager, although he did twice win Manager of the Month on Wearside. As a player, he won the FA Trophy, National League, and League Two with Yeovil and lifted a Scottish League Cup with Kilmarnock.
Writer’s View
Lee Johnson is a marmite figure, fans either love him, or hate him. His record at Sunderland wasn’t bad – he took them to Wembley, and narrowly missed out on a play-off final after losing to Lincoln City in the semis.
However, he’s clearly kept an eye on the EFL, including the club that robbed him of a second Wembley appearance in as many months. Taylor was outstanding at Lincoln, finishing as their top scorer, an accolade he also won at Colchester!
We’re not sure where Johnson thinks he would be able to get Taylor on loan – it’s unlikely he’d be a target for Sunderland unless it was a permanent move as a project striker. The Hatters are unlikely to loan him in the Championship; if he’s going to play that level, it will be for them. If they do loan him out, it would have to be a top-end League One side, and at present, most of those are spending big on strikers.
From this season, every game in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy – from the group stage through to the final – will be available to watch live on Sky Sports.
To browse a range of used cars to get you to games next season, or get the latest news on the competition, visit the Bristol Street Motors website.
