Gray end to dark week on Wearside
SIMON Grayson says he is “fully committed” to Preston North End, having been installed as the latest favourite in the search for Sunderland’s manager.
Grayson picked his words carefully so as not to completely slam the door on the Black Cats but, after Derek McInnes waited for a compensation agreement to be reached with Aberdeen before turning them down, it is another blow to morale.
The Wearsiders have primarily been looking to British managers with experience of the Championship and as such Grayson has been in the running since David Moyes resigned on May 22.
The former Leeds United boss said: “As far as I am concerned there is a lot of speculation about a lot of different jobs but I am fully committed to working out what we are doing for the season at Preston.
“I don’t consider it (the speculation) whatsoever until someone says something different, whether it is Sunderland or any other job.
“We have had a good two years in the Championship and we want to keep improving. We were on the periphery of the play-offs last season and just ran out of steam in the back end of the season.
“I have been there just over four years now and really enjoyed my time. You just get on and do what you do and I am focused on trying to get things right at Preston.
“I am fully committed to Preston and, if anything changes along the way, that is just football.”
The Ripon-born manager earned huge plaudits last season for the job he did on such a tight budget with the Lilywhites and, in the short-term at least, that would be the brief at the Stadium of Light.
Moyes left because he did not feel he could win promotion with the resources at his disposal and the budget is believed to have been a big factor in McInnes’ decision to stay with Aberdeen.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder is the latest name to be linked to Wearside.
Wilder has had great success in the lower divisions, winning League One with his hometown club last season.
It is understood when the job became available Wilder was open to talking to Sunderland, although so was McInnes and when he heard what the Wearsiders – and Aberdeen with fresh investment from Dave Cormack – had to offer he decided to stay at Pittodrie.
The Black Cats issued a statement yesterday acknowledging discussions with more than one party about selling Ellis Short’s stake were frustrating their search for a manager.
It said: “We are of course acutely aware of the need to act swiftly to appoint a manager and, to ensure this is the case, have placed a time limit on discussions regarding a potential sale.
“If discussions are not concluded within our defined timeframe we will terminate the process and move swiftly and positively forward with plans for the new season.”
The statement also warned: “The (manager) recruitment process, while still very much active, cannot therefore be concluded imminently.”