With Sunderland in free fall this season, attention has swiftly moved to the summer, and the primary priority will be to find a new man to fill the dugout.
Sunderland’s managerial merry-go-round
After falling just short of a trip to Wembley last season, Sunderland appeared to be set to go one better this season and challenge for promotion. Unfortunately for Black Cats fans, a dugout crisis has left their team far from the Championship top six.
In December 2023, the Wearside outfit parted ways with Tony Mowbray. The 60-year-old led Sunderland to sixth place last season, but a run of one win in five games ended his 461-day tenure with the club. With the team three points out of the playoffs, assistant coach Mike Dodds took over temporary duties until a successor could be found.
Two weeks following Mowbray’s departure, Sunderland found a replacement in Michael Beale. Rangers recently fired the Englishman, who enjoyed success in the second tier when in command of QPR. However, the appointment left fans uninspired.
Under Mick Beale’s Sunderland compared to Tony Mowbray’s Sunderland #SAFC
*per game stats
xG for
TM: 1.79
MB: 0.92xG against
TM: 1.01
MB: 1.24Shots for
TM: 16.75
MB: 11.91Shots against:
TM: 10.10
MB: 11.00Possession:
TM: 60%
MB: 53%— The Mackem Analyst (@MackemAnalyst) February 15, 2024
Fans’ pessimism was justified as Beale dragged Sunderland down the table, scoring only fourteen points in eleven league games. The final nail in the coffin was a 2-1 loss at Birmingham, now managed by Mowbray. After only 63 days in charge, Beales was fired for the second time this season, and Sunderland had to start looking for a new manager.
Sunderland’s next manager may move “to prove himself”
According to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), a “well-established” agent in the United Kingdom has told the French press that Will Still’s next destination could be a Championship club.
The agency told the site that Premier League clubs are now more hesitant to hire young, inexperienced managers, no matter how talented they are. For the time being, logic requires that he sign with a Championship team to show himself.
Sunderland is also included in the Sports Witness report, as they will be without a manager at the end of the season.
This is consistent with a recent trend in management hires, with Championship clubs preferring prospective continental managers over typical second-tier faces. QPR and Sheffield Wednesday’s additions of Marti Cifuentes and Danny Rohl, respectively, have helped them turn around their seasons after bad starts.
Still has been in charge of French club Stade Reims since October 2022, and the team is now only two points away from European qualification. The 31-year-old has a €5 million release clause, which may be triggered this summer by any number of clubs looking for a new manager.
With Jack Clarke expected to leave the Stadium of Light, Sunderland might receive a hefty windfall this summer. While a replacement on the field may be the top priority, there are few better areas to invest the money than on one of Europe’s most promising managers.
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