Sunderland’s managerial shortlist is said to include Will Still, Paul Heckingbottom and Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl, according to The Northern Echo.
The Black Cats have been without a full time Head Coach since parting company with Michael Beale in February. The ex-Queens Park Rangers manager was only appointed in December, two weeks after Tony Mowbray suffered the same fate as his successor.
The 43-year-old’s tenure was nothing short of a disaster. He failed to win over the support of the fanbase, meaning his back was always against the wall. Ironically, a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Mowbray’s Birmingham City sealed his fate.
Opting not to rush into a decision, Sunderland decided to hand the mantle to Mike Dodds on an interim basis for the third time. However, form has failed to improve and Monday’s crushing 5-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light against an out-of-form Blackburn Rovers summed up their season.
The Wearsiders seem to be going through the motions to get this campaign out of the way. The hard work will begin in the summer.
They will be keen to make a swift appointment to allow the new Head Coach ample opportunity to mould his squad ahead of next season. Speculation continues as to who could come through the door, with former managers Alex Neil and Roy Keane both linked. However, The Northern Echo claim that three men are in the running in Will Still, Danny Rohl and Paul Heckingbottom.
Reims boss Still was one of the favourites to secure the position in December. He has publicly addressed the situation on several occasions since, most recently admitting there has been interest from a host of clubs. Speaking last month, the 31-year-old said:
“I prefer to be perfectly honest and completely open with everyone because it avoids rumours, it avoids the ‘someone told me that…’, it avoids innuendos that are detestable in the world of football, and I prefer to be transparent.
“I told the directors here: ‘Yeah, there are clubs that call me, there are clubs that are interested in what we do, because I’m never by myself’. I find that flattering. I think I would be stupid to not find that flattering. If people ask me, I’m not going to start lying, to make the outside world feel that I’m stressed when I’m not. That’s why I said it, especially with that humorous tone.”
Heckingbottom has emerged as one of the frontrunners in recent weeks and was also in the running following Mowbray’s exit. Having departed Sheffield United in December, he is on the search for a new position and still holds a big reputation in the Championship having secured promotion with the Blades last season.
Danny Rohl is an interesting addition to the shortlist. The German has been widely praised for the job he has done at Hillsborough, taking over from Xisco Munoz in October with the Owls rooted firmly to the bottom of the table. Although relegation still looks a distinct possibility, he has caught the eye of Sunderland after winning 12 of his 32 matches in charge this season.
The Black Cats currently sit 13th in the Championship, although could move up the table with a win over Bristol City tomorrow. The Robins currently lie in 12th, two points above their league rivals.
Writer’s View
Sunderland are determined to get their next managerial appointment right after getting it so drastically wrong with Michael Beale. They have sacrificed this season in order to take their time and will be keen to bring in someone who is not only capable of building a team that can challenge for promotion, but have the support of the fans as well.
It seems only a matter of time before Will Still lands a job in England, whereas Paul Heckingbottom has proven credentials at this level. Danny Rohl is adored by Sheffield Wednesday supporters and it’s easy to see why. He looks to have all the makings of a top manager, having previously spent time coaching at Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig.
Head of Writing
