Sunderland has been instructed to employ a ‘unreal’ former Premier League manager who is now available.
Sunderland fired Michael Beale last month after a disastrous run of 12 games in charge.
Beale won four of his 12 games. However, Beale’s poor performances and the gulf between him and Sunderland fans rendered his position untenable.
Mike Dodds has been put in charge till the end of the season.
At initially, he was promised a strong chance of getting a permanent position during the summer. However, following four defeats and six defeats in a row, it appears that the Sunderland owners will appoint a new manager this summer.
Who has been linked to the Sunderland position thus far?
Several individuals have been linked to the Stadium of Light vacancy since Beale’s departure.
Marek Papszun, a Polish coach, is well-known in Poland for guiding Rakow from the third to the top tier of Polish football, finally winning the Polish top flight title and multiple domestic cups as well.
Reims manager Will Still has also been mentioned; he was linked when Sunderland replaced Tony Mowbray, and analyst Graeme Bailey believes Still is Sunderland’s ideal managerial appointment in the summer.
Meanwhile, former Swansea City and Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper is thought to be under consideration behind the scenes at Sunderland.
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus urged the appointment of Paul Heckingbottom.
Paul Heckingbottom is one name that has not yet been associated with Sunderland.
The 46-year-old is available after being let go by Sheffield United earlier this season, despite leading the Blades to promotion from the Championship the previous season.
Speaking to Football League World, pundit Carlton Palmer has suggested that the former Leeds United and Barnsley boss could be a good fit for Sunderland, saying:
“I think he did an unreal job at Sheffield United getting them promoted with the team that he had, and they did it at a canter.
“I think he’s one of those managers that I would be looking at who I think can do a good job. He worked with fewer resources, so he doesn’t have to be blessed with great resources and I think the fans would take to him.”
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman need to get next appointment right
Right now, Sunderland are at a turning point.
Providing they get to the summer with their Championship status in tact, which isn’t guaranteed just yet, then owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman really need to nail this next apoointment.
There’s a new air of uncertainty around the current ownership and structure at the club following this season; the poor managerial handling and the seemingly poor player recruitment.
But if the club hires a new boss and then brings in some players who are perhaps more experienced and better-suited to the Championship, not just teenagers from Europe, then Sunderland might get back on track, and the fans might regain their faith in the ‘model’.
And Heckingbottom could certainly be a steady appointment.
He’s got promotion on his CV with Sheffield United and he was able to help a number of under-performing players there flourish; Oli McBurnie being one, whilst helping a number of younger players like Rhys Norrington-Davies make their mark.
Whilst he may not be the conventional manager Sunderland want right now, he could be another steady, Mowbray-type appointment to get Sunderland back on track and back up the table.
Long-term though, there may be concerns, as he’s not yet proved himself in the Premier League.
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