Sunderland have still yet to appoint a head coach to replace Michael Beale but some new names have been cropping up on the club’s radar over the past few weeks as desperation sets in for the hierarchy.
Beale was relieved from his duties back in February, shortly after the winter transfer window closed. The club announced that Mike Dodds would take charge of the first-team on an interim basis until the end of the campaign, giving the ownership several months to identify candidates and begin the interview process to find the perfect manager to sit in the dugout at the Stadium of Light next season.
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However, with the summer transfer market opening next week and players returning for pre-season training within the coming month, the Wearside outfit still have no manager in charge. Furthermore, Will Still, who was a leading contender for the job and had met with owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus before Christmas, is now close to being appointed at French outfit RC Lens. Michael Walker reported that the 31-year-old bilingual coach had concerns over his potential make-up of staff and investment from above.
Nevertheless, another name has been thrown into the hat over the past few days. At the weekend, journalist Alan Nixon claimed that the Black Cats have now turned their attention towards St. Mirren boss Stephen Robinson after he guided the Buddies into Europe for the first time since 1987.
However, speaking to Football League World in a recent interview about the news, Sheffield Wednesday legend and EFL pundit Carlton Palmer has admitted that appointing Robinson as Beale’s successor would be “an unbelievable gamble” [quotes via The Sheffield Star]:
“The Northern Irishman took the Buddies into Europe and [to] back-to-back top six finishes. But for me, I think this would be an unbelievable gamble,” Palmer said.
“But the way that it’s happening at the moment, Sunderland are running out of candidates to take the job, so they are going to have to take a gamble on somebody who’s relatively new to management, and the Championship. This has all come about as the hierarchy want to run Sunderland. So they’re going to have to take somebody who’s really desperate to get down there, work under the circumstances they want to deploy, and hope to get some success.
“It would also be a great opportunity for Stephen Robinson, but he’s in Europe next season with the Buddies, and I’m sure he would want to stay and experience that opportunity. But obviously, Sunderland is a massive football club, no matter what I say about how the club is run and how they want to run it, Sunderland is a massive football club and well supported. So of course, it’s a great opportunity.”
Writer’s View
Robinson has previous experience managing in English football but not in a division as difficult as the Championship. He was in charge of Oldham Athletic during the 2016/17 season and Morecambe during the 2021/22 campaign, although he lasted just a few months in both jobs.
Palmer is correct in his assessment that appointing the 49-year-old would be a huge gamble by Sunderland as it could go incredibly well or horribly wrong next season which would lead to further frustrations from an already disgruntled fanbase.
