CAT’S YOUR LOT
Beale sacked by Sunderland after just 63 days and 12 games in unhappy hot-seat
SUNDERLAND are looking for their fifth permanent manager in two years – after Michael Beale lasted just 63 days
Assistant boss Michael Dodds (above) is set to take charge for the rest of the season as under-fire owner Kyril Louis Dreyfus and Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman look for a longer-term candidate.
Former Rangers chief Beale paid the price for his controversial Liz Truss-style short spell in charge.
From defeats on the pitch – including a tepid 3-0 FA Cup loss to fierce local rivals Newcastle – to provocative interviews off it, Beale was doomed from day one. He lasted just 12 games, winning just four and losing six.
Two weeks ago Beale had just started his press conference at the Academy of Light when he was plunged into darkness, a fitting metaphor. Moments later Beale laid into the Mackem fans claiming he felt he was being rejected because of his London accent.
It was incendiary stuff in the face of terrace dissatisfaction. It was a gamble that only provoked more unrest – Sunderland have welcomed many a Londoner including legends Kevin Ball and Kevin Phillips.
Owner Louis Dreyfus and Speakman have derailed their own season. Popular Tony Mowbray was sacked, fed up with meddling in his team selection.
Beale was far from being their
top target to replace him. But Sunderland didn’t have the budget, or the lure, to land top continental targets including Reims boss Will Still.
Instead Beale came in on December 18, with Speakman sold on him having worked at academy level to bring through young talent, of which Sunderland has some decent prospects.
Beale spoke of making the club better in both boxes. Instead the free-flowing, pretty passing football and neat combinations of the Mowbray era, which helped the club to the play-offs last year, was lost. It became functional and most metrics saw a big drop off.
And Beale’s tactical switch at half-time against Newcastle played into their rivals’ hands.
Last week they lost to lowly Huddersfield with no tactical pattern emerging.
Jobe Bellingham cut a frustrated figure and the only outlet was Jack Clarke. Then they lost to Mowbray’s Birmingham on Saturday (below) to slip further away from the play-off zone.
Beale was caught on camera snubbing the handshake of young defender Trai Hume after he was subbed. He rushed out a response on Sunday saying he was unaware he had missed Hume’s offer of a hand.
Sunderland are a mid-table squad at the moment, desperately short of a striker, and have a reputation for being a managerial graveyard. They are searching for their fifth boss in two years.
Speakman said: “Our desire is to improve and unfortunately that hasn’t been evident, as such we take full accountability and feel that acting decisively is in the best interests of the club.”