Who’s next for Sunderland? That’s the burning question being asked by Sunderland supporters at present with regards to who will be their next manager or head coach. This summer will undoubtedly be an important time for all connected to Sunderland. The club must get their next managerial appointment right and then comes improving the current underachieving squad which many have tried to improve, but, history will say, ultimately failed to.
There have already been rumours in the media about potential signings. However, although Sunderland’s Director of Football Lee Congerton and the club’s scouts will have a list of potential targets, the main priority must be to install a new manager sooner rather than later. The new man must be given the vast majority of the summer to work with the existing players he wishes to keep at the club and also to identify potential new players.
Who’s Next For Sunderland?
Sunderland have to do everything possible to get their next appointment right. The right man can take the club forward, be it in small steps or larger ones, like Ronald Koeman at Southampton. The wrong appointment can and will see the club continue to struggle at the wrong end of the table with a real possibility that relegation will finally catch up with the club this time. Sunderland fans have seen enough of these kind of seasons recently.
Since Dick Advocaat decided to retire from club football, many names have been linked to the Sunderland hot seat and many have divided opinion amongst fans. These names have included the experienced Sam Allardyce, an ex-Sunderland player and a man with a decent record in the Premier League. Big Sam may not be known for his pretty style of football, though he showcased some stylish stuff at West Ham, but he has experience, which could be a big factor in the deciding of the new man.
At the other end of the scale there is Sean Dyche. Dyche is a relatively inexperienced but hungry manager. He did remarkably well in winning promotion with Burnley, only to see them relegated in their first season back in the top flight. Even though they were relegated no one can say that Burnley didn’t fight to stay up and in the process they tried to play entertaining football where it was possible.
Other names included in the favourites list are Armin Veh, Phillip Cocu and Bernd Schuster. Veh is a relatively unknown man in England. He has vast experience in his native Germany, having had ten managerial positions. These include two stints at both FC Augsburg and VfB Stuttgart. He has been without a club since November 2014 after he resigned as manager of Stuttgart having taken just nine points from 12 games; Stuttgart’s worst start to a season in 40 years.
Philip Cocu is an ex-Dutch international and Barcelona player who has had great experience in the game. However, like Sean Dyce he is a relatively new comer to management. Cocu has had various coaching roles since retiring from playing. These have included being assistant manger for the Dutch national team and various coaching roles at PSV Eindhoven. He has been manager of PSV since 2012, when he succeeded Dick Advocaat. Cocu likes to bring players through from the youth ranks and with the potential that Sunderland’s academy has this could be a big tick in Cocu’s favour.
Bernd Schuster, depending on which media source you read, has already had discussions to become manager, something that the club denies. Schuster is an German international, former Real Madrid and Barcelona player and an ex-Real Madrid manager and coach. He has managed nine different clubs across Europe, the most recent being Malaga where, after 12 wins in 40 games, his contract was terminated in May 2014.
Other managers who are allegedly on Sunderland’s list are Steve McClaren, recently relieved of his duties at Championship side Derby County, former Tottenham and Fulham manager Martin Jol, and Michael Laudrup, who has been coaching in Qatar since being sacked by Swansea City a year after winning the League Cup.
There are a variety of managers with different degrees of success and experience whom Sunderland can choose from. Sunderland and their fans have to be realistic in who they can appoint at this stage and whoever they appoint will not please every fan.
Until the new manager is appointed, several things are for certain. New names will crop up, new favourites will be named and stories of big money being placed on a certain man will be the norm. Whoever the new man is, he has to get it right and try at least to keep the club away from yet another relegation fight. No pressure, then.
