Sunderland have eventually decided to interview for manager’s role
BUT DON’T EXPECT DECISION ON WHO WILL TAKE THE REINS TO TO BE MADE QUICKLY
SUNDERLAND have begun interviewing potential managers but even 14 days after the sacking of Simon Grayson, they are determined to take their time.
Robbie Stockdale took training yesterday after his fellow caretaker manager Billy McKinlay left to link up with David Moyes at West Ham United the previous evening.
The Black Cats’ next game is at home to Millwall on Saturday, and if no permanent manager were in charge by then, it would make a mockery of dispensing with Grayson in the run-up to the international break.
When Grayson was sacked a quarter-of-an-hour after a 3-3 draw with Bolton Wanderers, it suggested the Black Cats must already have someone in mind. With the Championship days from a fortnight’s break, it seemed an inopportune time to strike if not.
Grayson’s dismissal contrasted greatly with West Ham’s approach to the lay-off. Slaven Bilic, had been on borrowed time for what seemed an eternity but almost as soon as he was shown the door, former Sunderland manager Moyes was appointed. On Sunday Moyes chose McKinlay, Stuart Pearce and Alan Irvine as his joint assistants.
With the prospect of back-to-back relegations very real, the bottom-ofthe-Championship Black Cats are determined to make the process as thorough as possible to ensure they get the right man.
By the same token, the interviewees will no doubt want to do their homework too.
Although Harry Redknapp and Phil Neville have both spoken favourably about the club and the job, others within the managerial and punditry fraternity have described Sunderland as a “basketcase” club.
Moyes last week admitted it was the only managerial post he has not enjoyed.
He felt he had been misled over his January budget and resigned at the end of the season, unconvinced he could make a success of the job given what he had to work with.
Aberdeen gave the Wearsiders permission to speak to Derek McInnes about becoming his replacement but he turned the job down.
Owner Ellis Short was trying to sell Sunderland then, and has been reluctant to bankroll them all year.
Although the club is officially off the market, there is no question he would be open to attractive offers.
Aitor Karanka has been heavily tipped for the job and the former Real Madrid player and assistant manager was keen to speak to Sunderland, but since being sacked by Middlesbrough in March, he has been choosy about his options, turning down offers from Birmingham City and Alaves.
Chief executive Martin Bain would ideally like an experienced manager and is prepared to pay compensation (though probably not much) to get him if need be, as was the case when Grayson and coaches Ian Snodin and Ian Miller were recruited from Preston North End in June.
Joining Sunderland would represent a step up for the likes of Barnsley’s Paul Heckingbottom – a former Black Cats trainee, Shrewsbury Town’s Paul Hurst and Luton Town’s Nathan Jones, just as it was for Grayson, but they would want to be confident they were not leaving a good job where they are enjoying success for a “poisoned chalice”.
Ally McCoist is thought to have boardroom cheerleaders – his time at Rangers coincided with Bain’s, and the chief executive took soundings from McCoist’s former boss Walter Smith, who gave him his break in coaching, in the summer – but the former Roker Park striker has only managed in Scotland.
He resigned in 2014 after Alloa knocked the Gers out of the Scottish Challenge Cup, and has not managed since.
Having taken so long to identify his candidates, Bain is under real pressure to make a better appoint-