Rae the new favourite to take Black Cats job
WILDER SET TO STAY ON AT BLADES
ALEX Rae is the new bookies’ favourite to be next Sunderland manager, with previous leading candidate Chris Wilder set to sign a new deal at Sheffield United.
Rae became a fans’ favourite on Wearside during the reign of Peter Reid, making more than 100 appearances for Sunderland.
He has managerial experience too, having led Dundee and St Mirren north of the border, while he has served as assistant manager to Paul Ince at MK Dons and Blackpool and Alex McLeish at Genk in Belgium.
Rae has been out of management since leaving St Mirren in 2016 after a poor start to the campaign, instead working as a pundit.
Wilder emerged as the frontrunner to replace Chris Coleman in the Stadium of Light hotseat after admitting his frustrations at not being able to plan for next season due to a falling out between the Blades’ co-owners.
Kevin McCabe and HRH Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud were due to meet face-to-face in London this week to try to sort out their differences and the outcome of that meeting would likely prove critical to Wilder’s future.
Now it is reported that Wilder will sign a new deal at Bramall Lane, suggesting talks went well.
Signing the contract would not stop Sunderland from making an approach once Stewart Donald’s takeover is complete - but it does suggest he is happy to stay and would also mean the prospective Black Cats’ owner would have to fork out a significantly larger fee to prise him from Sheffield United. As such, it makes it highly unlikely Wilder will be next Sunderland boss and for the first time in over a week he is no longer favourite with the bookies. Current St Mirren boss Jack Ross is now 3/1 third-favourite. The 41-year-old guided St Mirren to the Scottish Championship title last season but is odds on to replace Mick McCarthy at Ipswich after being given permission to speak to them last week. Former Sunderland boss McCarthy has seemingly ruled out a return to Wearside. He said: “I want to work in the Championship or the Premier League. “If I could get a Championship job with a chance of getting in the Premier League, that would be great for me.”