Coleman quits Wales for Sunderland job

Sunderland are expected to appoint Chris Coleman as their new manager after he decided to step down following five successful years in charge of the Wales national team.

The Wales Football Association had hoped to persuade Coleman to stay on to lead their challenge to qualify for Euro 2020, but it is thought he has told them he wants to leave and his move to Sunderland should be confirmed in the next 24 hours. Sunderland are bottom of the table, six months after their relegation from the Premier League and sacked Simon Grayson last month after 18 games in charge.

Grayson was appointed after the manager who took them down, David Moyes, resigned in May as he did not feel the club had the financial clout to challenge for an immediate return to the top flight.

Coleman is understood to have made his interest in the vacancy known this week and Martin Bain, Sunderland’s chief executive, believes he has persuaded the former Coventry City and Fulham manager to leave Wales following their failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Despite their financial troubles, Sunderland are able to offer Coleman are far larger salary than the one he receives from the Football Association of Wales.

Michael O’neill, the Northern Ireland manager, who had rejected an approach from Sunderland, has been given permission to talk to Scotland about their vacant managerial position.