After falling short of Blackburn Rovers 5-1 at home on Easter Monday, Sunderland’s hopes of making the playoffs suffered yet another serious blow.
Mike Dodds’ team suffered their seventh defeat in nine Championship games after a crushing setback in front of the Black Cats supporters, putting them 13th in the second division and 13 points short of a spot in the top six.
After Michael Beale was fired, Dodds attempted to recreate the magic of his first caretaker term but was only able to win two of his eight games in charge.
Owner of Sunderland, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, is contemplating a quick switch at the dugout to alter the club’s momentum as a concerning end to the season brews. Several rumors have emerged regarding who could be next to take over the first team squad. Here at Football League World, we list six managers Sunderland must have on their shortlist to be the new manager.
1Paul Heckingbottom
First up is Paul Heckingbottom, who is yet to take another position after his sacking at Sheffield United in December last year.
The 46-year-old has experience of getting promotion out of the second tier, leading the Blades back to the Premier League last season in a comfortable fashion, as the Yorkshire outfit finished in second place on 91 points – 11 points clear of eventual play-off winners Luton Town.
Things went far from swimmingly in the top flight, however, as the Barnsley-born man parted ways with Sheffield United after losing 11 of their opening 14 Premier League contests but it would be harsh to lay too much of the blame on the manager given the lack of investment in the squad.
Heckingbottom has been linked with the post at the Stadium of Light by journalist Alan Nixon, and Sunderland should be looking at someone who knows what it takes to be a success towards the top end of the Championship, despite a sour end to his spell with the Blades.
2Alex Neil
Next is former Sunderland boss Alex Neil, who remains out of work after his last stint at Stoke City.
Neil was a tremendous success in his short spell at the Stadium of Light, guiding the club to promotion out of League One via the play-offs and allowing the side to embrace the challenge of the Championship upon their return.
Many would say Sunderland overachieved in their time with Neil but the Scotsman decided to part ways with the Black Cats to take up the vacancy at Stoke City, which did not go according to plan.
Journalist Alan Nixon reported in February that Neil would be open to return to Sunderland after his departure from Stoke, and it could be an option to have in mind, given what a hit he was in his opening stint.
It would be a risky one given he is far from popular among the Stadium of Light faithful.
3Scott Parker
Next up is Scott Parker, who is still searching for work after an unsuccessful spell abroad with
Belgian side Club Brugge.
The former Tottenham and West Ham midfielder has already nailed two promotions out of the Championship on his CV with Fulham and Bournemouth, which is quite an impressive feat for such a young coach.
However, after leaving the Cottagers for the South Coast, Parker was very open about the lack of investment put into the Cherries side on their return to the top flight, so tensions could be strained at the Stadium of Light if he does not get things his own way.
However, Sunderland could be the ideal club for Parker to restore his reputation as a coach and with his past achievements in the second tier, it could be a move to suit all parties.
4Will Still
Will Still is a young and progressive coach building his reputation at French outfit Reims.
The 31-year-old has done a superb job with the Ligue 1 side so far, leading the club to an impressive 17-game unbeaten run after replacing Oscar Garcia in October 2022, which led to his side finishing 11th last season.
Reims are on course to improve on that position this campaign as they currently sit ninth.
Appointing Still would certainly fit Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’s vision, with a sharp focus on youth in the coach and the playing squad.
With HITC reporting Still remains the Black Cats’ first choice target, it could well be a gamble worth taking despite his lack of Championship experience.
5Steve Cooper
Steve Cooper is another manager out of work that could reignite the excitement of Sunderland supporters if he was appointed and has been linked with the vacancy.
The Welshman arrived at Nottingham Forest with the club sitting bottom of the Championship, with just four points taken from their first eight games.
Cooper would go on to reinvigorate the side and get the Reds into the top six, with the East Midlands outfit securing their place in the Premier League after a 23-year absence after a play-off final victory over Huddersfield Town.
The 44-year-old kept Forest in the Premier League at the first time of asking in a 16th placed finish, surviving the drop by four points.
However, Cooper was dismissed the following season with the club languishing in 17th place just before the beginning of the new year.
Given the miracles Cooper performed at Forest, there’s no reason why Cooper could not be a success with such a young and promising Sunderland squad, and he certainly has the capabilities to earn a second promotion back to the Premier League.
6Graham Potter
Rounding off the list is former Chelsea and Brighton manager Graham Potter, who is eyeing up a new role after his short time at Stamford Bridge.
There’s no doubt hiring a coach of Potters calibre in the Championship would be an ambitious swoop, but working with such a youthful set of players could be an exciting proposition.
While his Chelsea stint did not go according to plan, the difficulty of working at the Blues is clearly something a lot of talented managers have struggled with in the past, so the majority of blame should not lie at his door.
His time at Swansea City and Brighton showcased the potential he has as a coach which led him to the Chelsea job, and the 48-year-old may feel the need to step down a division to prove himself again and was linked with a Championship vacancy last December.
