He had previously been connected to the team.
Finding a new guy to fill the dugout will be the first priority for the summer since Sunderland is in complete collapse this season.
Sunderland’s cycle of inexperienced managers
Sunderland were prepared to challenge for promotion this season after narrowly missing out on a trip to Wembley the previous one. Regretfully, for supporters of the Black Cats, their team is far from the Championship top six due to a problem in the dugout.
The Wearside group parted ways with Tony Mowbray in December 2023. The 60-year-old had led Sunderland to sixth place the previous season, but his 461-day tenure with the team came to an end after only one win in five games. While a replacement was being sought, assistant coach Mike Dodds assumed interim leadership with the team three points out of the playoffs.
Michael Beale was Sunderland’s replacement for Mowbray, who left the team two weeks later. The Englishman, who was recently fired by Rangers, had led QPR to triumph in the second division. Fans weren’t impressed by the appointment, though.
The doubts of the supporters were well-founded, as Beale drastically reduced Sunderland’s standings, managing just fourteen points from eleven league games. The last straw was a 2-1 loss at Birmingham, who were now led by Mowbray. After just sixty-three days in office, Beales was fired for the second time this season, and Sunderland had to start over in search of a new manager.
Dodds has been handed the keys till the end of the season, so the focus is now on who can get Sunderland back on the right track and put this season’s setbacks firmly behind them.
The next manager of Sunderland might relocate “to prove himself”
Sport Witness reports that an agency “well established” in the UK has informed the French media that Will Still’s next move might be to a Championship club, according to L’Equipe.
“Premier League clubs are now a bit more reticent to hire young, inexperienced managers, brilliant as they may be,” the agent told the site in an interview. For the time being, it makes sense that he join with a Championship team first to establish his worth.
Because Sunderland will have no manager at the end of the season, they are also mentioned in the Sports Witness report.
This is in line with a current trend in management appointments, as Championship teams are choosing to appoint prospective managers from the continent rather than the more established names in the second division. Following dismal openings to their seasons, QPR and Sheffield Wednesday have enjoyed success following the hiring of Marti Cifuentes and Danny Rohl, respectively.
has been in charge of the French team Stade Reims’ dugout since October 2022. As of right now, the team is only two points off of European positions. The 31-year-old has a €5 million release clause that any number of teams searching for a new manager might activate this summer.
Given that Jack Clarke is probably going to leave the Stadium of Light, Sunderland may receive a major boost this summer. While a replacement player on the pitch could be the first option, investing the funds on one of Europe’s most promising managers would be a wise choice.
Leave a Reply