Julio Arca is hoping he can use his Sunderland connections to help his fledgling management career get off to a bang.
The Argentinian star landed his first managerial job after taking over from Kevin Phillips as boss of South Shields.
Arca will be joined in the dugout by his former Sunderland midfield team-mate Tommy Miller and is looking to add to his backroom staff over the next few weeks. But he is also hoping that he can tap into some of his old connections at the Stadium of Light to bring some of the best young talent to Shields next season.
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Arca played under Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray during his time at Boro, and has already held conversations with Sunderland about potential transfer targets or loans he could bring into Shields, who will be playing in Natioanl League North next season.
"It could be an option," he admitted. "I've already spoken with the Under-21s manager so we will see who is available. In pre-season we will have to see some players.
"At the moment it's a busy time, players get released there's a lot of players looking for a club who are calling, so it's a busy few weeks, but hopefully we can get things sorted out pretty quick."
Mowbray has enjoyed a stunning first season as Sunderland manager after taking over from Alex Neil in August. The veteran manager has guided a young, inexperienced side to the brink of the Championship play-offs with an exciting, vibrant brand of attacking football.
It's a style that Arca would love to emulate. Despite playing under some big-name managers like England chief Gareth Southgate and Peter Reid, it's Mowbray who he has taken the most from.
He said: "All the managers I had were different, with different personalities and styles, but I am more inclined towards the ones who like to play football. Tony, this season, has shown what he is capable of without a striker, with injured players, and the way Sunderland have been playing, especially this season, is probably the best football Sunderland have played in many, many years.
"Young players, players who are not particularly well known around the recruitment market, have come in and done really, really well.
"So yes, if I had to look at someone's style, that would be my style, but you have to adapt to the league as well, always with an option B or option C if necessary."
Arca's first managerial job comes at the First Cloud Arena in a return to the club where he ended his playing career. His stint at South Shields saw him pick up six trophies, including winning the FA Vase at Wembley.
"It's great to be back at the club after so many years, obviously a different role with different expectations," he added. "It's a good challenge. I always had it in my mind to try a management career, I've done my coaching badges, I still feel young and this could be the start of something.
"Obviously with the help of Tommy coming on board, who played alongside me. he knows the leagues very well after spending a long time at Spennymoor, so I think we've got a good partnership going on."
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