Sunderland interim boss Mike Dodds has revealed that the search is underway to find a permanent successor for Michael Beale, who departed the club in February.
It’s been an odd season for the Black Cats. Full of confidence after sneaking into the Championship play-offs last season, expectations were high that they could challenge for a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.
Tony Mowbray looked on course to at least match last season’s top six finish. However, a run of three games without a win led to his exit in December, where he was replaced by Beale.
It was a gamble which ultimately proved to be a disaster. The ex-Queens Park Rangers boss lasted just 12 games before he too found himself out of a job in February. Dodds was immediately installed as interim for the third time in his career and second time this season, although the Wearsiders fortunes have failed to improve.
The 37-year-old is yet to pick up a win in his latest spell, although did earn his first point last weekend with a 0-0 draw against QPR at the Stadium of Light. However, Sunderland now find themselves languishing in mid-table and 13 points off the play-off places.
Another season in the Championship beckons and there is a feeling that the next managerial appointment needs to be the right one to guide the club into the future. Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, Dodds revealed that the search is underway:
“The last conversation I had, and this was prior to the last couple of games, was that they had shortlisted a number of potential candidates and that they were going to take their time in speaking to those people.
“They want to make sure they get the next appointment right and they don’t want to rush that decision.
“If they feel like they’ve got the right candidate tomorrow, then they will be in the day after tomorrow obviously. If they don’t, then they will wait. That was the message I was given a few weeks back and I’ve not been told that anything has changed. If anything changes then they will communicate that with me. We’ve got some big games coming up because we need to change the feeling of the football club, and we know that the best way to do that is to win games of football.”
Sunderland now have the opportunity to regroup during the international break before they travel to Cardiff City on Good Friday.
Writer’s View
Sunderland are a club that feel they should be in the Premier League, which is why it is so important that their next appointment is the right one. A number of names have been linked to the vacant position, including former bosses Alex Neil and Roy Keane. Will Still is also considered one of the front runners whilst former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is said to be interested.
This season started full of promise but now looks on course to end with a whimper. Dodds will be keen to start getting points on the board and secure a top half finish, giving the next arrival a healthy platform to build on.
Head of Writing
