“The rumour mill is already humming and hopefully Sunderland will follow a more thorough process in appointing Michael Beale’s successor,”
It seems like only five minutes ago that Sunderland was looking for a replacement for Tony Mowbray, and now we’re in the process of replacing the man who replaced Mowbray, so who says the fun never stops at our club?
Mike Dodds will skipper the ship until a new head coach is appointed, which will take at least three months.
Getting the balance right and keeping us going for the final thirteen games will be a good challenge for Dodds and his players, but I believe we’d be dishonest if we claimed we didn’t have one eye on the summer.
The dismal two-month reign of Michael Beale has made it even more important to nail the next choice.
The early speculation has produced a couple of names whose appointments, I feel, would demonstrate ambition in quite different ways while still highlighting the club’s growth.
Will Still was one of the most talked-about names in December.
The Stade Reims manager rose to prominence following a successful tenure with the French club, and his reputation continues to develop. Although he appears to be interested in one day coaching his boyhood team West Ham, recent interviews revealed that he would want to manage in the Championship.
Despite several questionable actions by the hierarchy, Sunderland continues to be a popular team.
A good infrastructure and a clear recruitment program may have weaknesses, but they are attributes that few clubs in our tier can claim. Still has worked in similar conditions at Reims, complaining about his top players being traded and having to’start all over again every six months’.
Our first major asset sale will occur when Jack Clarke leaves in the summer.
His departure appears unavoidable, and ensuring we obtain a fair fee will be a crucial step toward the next stage of our growth. If Still arrives to take over a promising squad and is granted £25 to £30 million to enhance it, he will be joining a club that, hopefully, has the proper priorities.
Another name that has been associated more tenuously is that of former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper.
I believe Cooper would be an excellent fit for Sunderland, but the main issue could be that he does not have complete control over recruitment or, more likely, pay.
Cooper will command a high wage, possibly exceeding our present cap.
Cooper, on the other hand, would be excellent if we want a coach that the club believes can lead us to the Premier League in whatever timetable we set.
He could be an ideal candidate if he receives appropriate recruitment help and is aware of his specific responsibilities. His reputation is widely known, and he did an excellent job of keeping Forest in contention among the mayhem that frequently erupted at the City Ground, despite the club’s excessive expenditure, which may be its undoing.
Still and Cooper are at very different stages of their careers, but if these are any indication of the names associated with the post, we could be in for a fascinating summer.
Finally, our new head coach must be completely committed to our recruitment approach and willing to accept that they will have little say over the players we bring in. They will, however, work with an intriguing squad and have access to a youth structure that is on the verge of becoming a success.
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