‘I hope so…’: 37-year-old reveals he really wants to continue at Sunderland despite ‘unbelievable’ claim
Mike Dodds today expresses his position on Sunderland’s future amid a ‘unbelievable’ claim.
Mike Dodds, Sunderland’s interim coach, has revealed his plans beyond the summer.
Mike Dodds joined Sunderland as head of individual player development in August 2021 and has had a fast-paced career since then.
The 37-year-old has worked under four different managers on Wearside and had only been at the club for five months before he was thrust into his first spell as interim manager following Lee Johnson’s sacking.
It proved to be an absolute nightmare for Dodds, who oversaw back-to-back defeats to Doncaster Rovers and Cheltenham Town.
The coach was given a chance to redeem himself almost two years later though, when he was handed the role once again following Tony Mowbray’s exit.
Dodds fared much better this time around, picking up six points against Leeds United and West Brom before succumbing to Bristol City.
He is now on his third term as interim head coach, although this time he is anticipated to take over until the end of the season.
There have been numerous rumors that Dodds may be hired permanently in the summer, but the club appears to be more interested in looking abroad for someone like may Still.
While Dodds doesn’t seem too phased about taking the job on full-time, he has admitted that he hopes to remain at the Stadium of Light next season as a coach.
When asked if he planned to continue at Sunderland, Dodds told the Sunderland Echo: “I hope so; I’m not stepping in to help out just to get fired at the end! I hope so; I’ve established in the region and truly adore it.
“I believe it is a fantastic football club that will hopefully return to its rightful place in the not-too-distant future, but we must first earn the right to be there, and I want to be very respectful of all the other teams – there are currently nine teams ahead of us. But I see my long-term future here, so unless the club tells me differently, I’m here.
Will We Keep Mike Dodds This Summer?
Mike Dodds is definitely a good coach, as evidenced by his tactical masterclasses against Leeds and West Brom.
While it didn’t work out against Swansea, I believe we’ll see the best of him for the rest of the season.
He didn’t inspire much under Michael Beale, but the coach has a great rapport with many of our players and should know how to get the most out of him.
Even if he is not hired as our manager at the conclusion of the season, most will hope he continues at the club and can help us get to the Premier League, since that is the least he deserves after all his hard work over the last few years.
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