Director reacts as Sunderland hold talks to appoint his ‘awesome’ manager

Elfsborg are playing their cards close to their chest amid reports that Sunderland have interviewed Jimmy Thelin, with the club’s sporting director describing the Championship-linked boss as a’very competent coach’.

Sunderland appear to have turned their attention to another Swedish strategist just a day after Kim Hellberg was named as the new manager of Hammarby.

While Hellberg led IFK Varnamo to their best-ever fifth-place result in the Allsvenskan in 2023, Jimmy Thelin’s Elfsborg finished second only on goal difference.

And, according to Aftonbladet, Thelin conducted talks with Sunderland about a possible move to the Stadium of Light on Monday, with Sunderland searching for a youthful, forward-thinking tactician capable of managing a group full of baby-faced up-and-comers.

Sunderland enter talks with Jimmy Thelin

 

Stefan Andreasson, Elfsborg’s sporting director, did not reveal much when asked about the Black Cats’ interest. But it didn’t take long to read between the lines to figure out that he wants Thelin to stay in Sweden.

“We have no further comments other than that Jimmy is a very good coach,” Andreasson tells Goteborgs Posten. “We are proud to have (Thelin) at Elfsborg.”

Thelin is the latest manager to be connected with the vacant Sunderland manager’s position. Last week, the North East club interviewed Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna and spoke with Hellberg.

Will Still, the youngest manager in Europe’s top five divisions at 31 years old, has also been in conversations, but lately appeared to dismiss rumors that he could follow Tony Mowbray.
In five years at the helm of Elfsborg, meanwhile, Thelin has taken the club from 12th to second.

Black Cats manager search continues

“He is awesome. Jimmy is an incredibly good coach and person,” now-Bologna winger Jesper Karlson told Aftonbladet of Thelin, who he worked alongside at Elfsborg.

“I know how hard he works to correct details if things haven’t gone well.”

Sunderland face Bristol City this weekend, looking to build on Tuesday’s 1-0 triumph over Leeds United.