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Exclusive:Luke O’Nien’s behind-the-scenes jacuzzi gesture to released Sunderland youngster revealed Former Sunderland goalkeeper Kelechi Chibueze has revealed the memorable advice Luke O’Nien offered during an unexpected jacuzzi conversation Former Sunderland goalkeeper Kelechi Chibueze has revealed how Luke O’Nien took time to offer him advice after learning that he had been released by the club. Chibueze spent two years on Wearside after previously progressing through the academy systems at Chelsea and Leicester City. The 22-year-old featured regularly for Sunderland’s under-21s and also trained with the first-team squad before leaving the Stadium of Light at the end of the 2024-25 season. The goalkeeper has since retired from professional football, but spoke warmly about the support he received from O’Nien during a difficult period in his career. “He is such a great guy. After I had been released, I was sitting in the jacuzzi one day, and he came over to me. “I thought he might be coming across to tell me off because we were not allowed to have our phones in there. Instead, he said he had heard that I had been released. He told me his own story about being released by Watford and gave me advice on how to navigate it. He told me not to become too upset, to keep going and to continue working hard. “This was the Sunderland captain, playing for a team pushing for the play-offs and the Premier League, and he still took the time to come and speak to somebody who had been released by the club. Throughout the two years I was there, he was so nice. He is honestly a top guy.” Speaking on The High Performance Podcast recently, O’Nien discussed his difficult return from shoulder surgery and the challenge of forcing his way into Régis Le Bris’ significantly strengthened Premier League squad last season. “I started the Premier League season three months after everyone else. I had shoulder surgery, but then I did my rehab in the off-season. Little did I know that the club would spend £150million, £180million on some unbelievably talented players. “When I got back, I think I was 10th in the pecking order in the toughest league in the world. And I was like, okay, at first it was like, let’s go. And I started to just attack it. And then the squad would come out, wouldn’t be in the squad. So I was like, I need to get in the squad. Let’s break it down. The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel. “Let’s get back in the squad. Eventually got in the squad, and I sat on the bench, and I just couldn’t get in the team. It wasn’t till December, I think, I made my Premier League debut. And it just went on for so long that, yeah, I cracked. I had a session where I got tackled. My shoulder nearly came out, and I just cried because I thought my whole rehab flashed before my eyes again. I was like, don’t cry. “Everything’s fine. Everything’s fine. And then I just let it all out. I went for a walk around the training ground, and there we had a lake at the training ground. I sat in the lake with my feet in the lake for two hours, just let out all my emotions. The part that one of the boys laughs at, and I’m going to tell him that because he’s going to laugh at this point. I threw my boots in the lake. Yeah, I can hear you laughing. My boots are at the bottom of the lake at the training ground.”