COLEMAN’S SO COOL FOR CATS
Wales manager is happy to take on ‘poisoned chalice’
CHRIS Coleman was keen to return to club management – and not even the ‘poisoned chalice’ of the Sunderland job has put him off.
The 47-year-old is set to be unveiled as the north-east club’s new manager in the next 24 hours.
He succeeds former Preston boss Simon Grayson, under whom the Black Cats had made the worst start ever to a Championship season by a relegated Premier League club.
Coleman – a defender for Swansea, Crystal Palace, Blackburn Rovers and Fulham in his playing days – has a mammoth job on his hands to turn Sunderland’s fortunes around.
They went into yesterday’s home game against Millwall bottom of the table and with just one league win to their name.
Coleman kept Fulham in the Premier League for three seasons in his first managerial role.
But his greatest success in management is undeniably leading Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 – their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup.
It’s his first return to club football since a six-month spell at Greek side AEL, where he quit in 2012 because of the club’s financial troubles.
His last stint in the Football League as Coventry boss ended in May 2010 with a sacking following their then-lowest league finish in more than 45 years – 19th in the Championship.
“We are extremely disappointed to see Chris’ tenure as Wales manager come to an end,” said Jonathan Ford, FAW’s chief executive.
“The FAW and Wales as a nation will be eternally grateful for the job he has done over the last six years as national team manager.
“We wish Chris the very best of luck for the future as he returns to club management, a desire for which he has always been honest and open about.”
Boost
Coleman is expected to be in the hotseat in time for Sunderland’s clash with injury-hit Aston Villa on Tuesday, and will reportedly quadruple his Wales wages with a contract worth around £750,000-a-year.
Meanwhile, League Two strugglers Barnet have also looked to a man with international credentials to lead them.
Former Scotland number two Mark McGhee took over at the Bees this week, replacing Rossi Eames, formerly the youngest boss in the EFL, who has remained at the club as head of youth development.
And McGhee has received a boost as he seeks to revive Barnet.
The 60-year-old was suspended for six games following a verbal altercation with a supporter during his time as Motherwell manager but the SFA have not applied to FIFA for that ban to be enforced in England.
Now the former Reading, Leicester and Brighton manager is concentrating on turning things around at the Hive, something he believes he is perfectly equipped to do. “I’ve been in this situation before. I joined Bristol Rovers when they were bottom of the league and got them out of it, so I know the league, I know the job that’s required, I know the type of work that needs doing,” said McGhee. “(It will take) nothing but hard work. The first thing I explained to the players was that football is a running game and we have to get ourselves able to run faster, to run harder, run further than opposition – then, the rest will take care of itself. “We have good players here. We have good goalscorers, we have speed and athleticism. They have an attitude that, to me, looks fine, but we have to be prepared to work hard in training.” McGhee, who was sacked by Motherwell in February, is also delighted to be back in club management. He added: “I think I can help the lads. They’re a young team and I think I have the experience to help them get out of this.”