I have no idea what the plan is – Coleman

CHRIS Coleman offered a worrying assessment of Sunderland’s future, admitting he does not know what lies in store for the club now relegation to League One has been confirmed.

The Black Cats’ 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Burton Albion – in conjunction with results elsewhere – means the club will play third-tier football next season for only the second time in its history.

But when asked what plans are in place for the club this summer, the uncertainty around the ownership – specifically whether Ellis Short will be successful in finding a buyer – means Coleman cannot make detailed plans, nor even guarantee his own future.

The former Wales boss says he “100%” wants to stay on, but that is likely to depend on the ownership situation.

Asked what happens next, Coleman said: “I don’t know, to be honest. I don’t know what the plan is.

“In terms of recruitment and players, we have been looking at different scenarios, different players, fees, frees, because we don’t know, we haven’t been told, what is what.

“When I speak with Martin [Bain, Sunderland’s chief executive], he’s as much in the dark as me.

“We know where we are now [in terms of relegation], so maybe we can now say ‘yeah, that’s the plan’.

“Hopefully it is going to be with new owners, but if it’s with our current chairman we have to look at it and say ‘what’s your idea for us moving forward?’.

“To be honest, though, right now it is very vague.

“It [relegation] is brutally painful.

“I’ve been here two minutes in the grand scheme of things, our supporters have been here for years, so I can’t imagine what they will be feeling like.”

Coleman added: “I know what I want to do, I know what needs to be done, but there are certain things that need to happen for that to happen, for me to put that in place.

“It’s hard for me to come and say I don’t know, but that’s the truth – I wouldn’t tell lies.”

Asked whether he wants to stay at Sunderland and attempt to lead the club back to the Championship next season, he said: “One hundred per cent.”