An incoming coach has been identified as Sunderland is set to soon announce strike a deal
|Sunderland: Fresh Will Still reports emerge following Mick Beale exit
Sunderland are once again searching for a new head coach following Mick Beale’s departure on Monday
HIGHLIGHTS
- Sunderland are still keen on hiring Will Still despite previous failed pursuit in 2023.
- Still is top choice for permanent manager, with a potential deal being pursued in the summer.
- Sunderland are 10th in the Championship, and see Still as the preferred candidate for future success.
Will Still is a strong candidate to be Sunderland’s next permanent manager.
The Black Cats are still interested in the 31-year-old, according to HITC, even if their attempt to sign him at the end of 2023 was unsuccessful.
Although Still was contacted last December as a possible Tony Mowbray replacement, the Championship team was unable to come to a deal with the Reims boss.
Instead, Sunderland chose to name Michael Beale as the 60-year-old’s
replacement; however, after only nine weeks in command, Beale was fired.
Due to this, Mike Dodds has been appointed as the Black Cats’ interim head
coach for the conclusion of the season, leaving the team without a manager.
Will Still latest
Still is reportedly the team’s first pick to replace Beale permanently; a move that will probably be made in the summer.
Although the Wearside team is vying for promotion to the Premier League this season, they believe that Still is their top choice, regardless of the tier in which they will play the following season.
Although the team’s recent performance has caused them to lag behind in the
battle for a top six finish, they still have a chance to qualify for the play-offs again
because they finished sixth under Mowbray’s leadership last year.
It has been challenging to try to convince Still to leave midway through the season
because Reims is now playing in Ligue 1 in an attempt to qualify for Europe.
The young coach’s contract with the French team expires in the summer of 2025, but instead of trying to get him right away, it has been suggested that a far lesser compensation amount can be negotiated this summer.
This might pave the way for him to join the Stadium of Light for the upcoming campaign.
Since succeeding Oscar Garcia in 2022, Still has garnered a great deal of
appreciation for his work, and he guided the club to an 11th-place result last year.
The squad is presently four points behind Monaco in fifth place in the top
flight, which would guarantee a spot in the Europa League.
Sunderland league position
Championship Table (As it stands February 19th) | ||||
Team | P | GD | Pts | |
9 | Preston North End | 33 | -8 | 49 |
10 | Sunderland | 33 | 8 | 47 |
11 | Watford | 33 | 4 | 44 |
12 | Bristol City | 33 | 1 | 44 |
13 | Middlesbrough | 32 | 0 | 44 |
14 | Cardiff City | 32 | -10 | 40 |
15 | Birmingham City | 32 | -11 | 38 |
16 | Plymouth Argyle | 32 | -3 | 37 |
In the Championship standings, Sunderland is currently in 10th place, four points behind Coventry City in sixth.
The squad lost ground in the fight for a play-off spot after Beale’s final two games as captain.
Only sixty-three days into his tenure at the Stadium of Light, the former Rangers manager lost his job due to defeats against Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City.
On February 24, Dodds will coach his first game back in an interim capacity against Swansea City.
Still would be an exciting appointment at Sunderland
Still has received a great deal of praise for his work in France, and qualifying for Europe would be a noteworthy accomplishment.
For a player like the 31-year-old, the club would be a very alluring prospect if they are promoted to the Premier League.
Any potential manager of Sunderland will need to be at ease in the post of head coach, as Kristjaan Speakman will be heavily involved in player acquisition and eager to use youth players.
Still is a great possibility to take on the Sunderland position because this should work for him, but it is unclear if he will be persuaded to join the Championship team.
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