Sunderland are on the managerial hunt once again following the news that Chris Coleman was sacked in light of relegation to Sky Bet League One.
The 47-year-old left his role as Wales national team boss to succeed Simon Grayson in November, but Coleman could not prevent the Black Cats from suffering a second successive relegation during his five months in charge.
Life in the third tier will see a new face in the dugout, and there are numerous choices available to the incoming owners.
Tom Carnduff looks at the current front-runners, according to Sky Bet’s odds, and assesses what each candidate could bring to the table…
Mick McCarthy – 5/2
A veteran when it comes to managing in the Sky Bet Championship, Mick McCarthy will look for a new adventure in the summer after leaving Ipswich Town in early April.
Ahead of what turned out to be his final game at the club, Chris Coleman was desperate for Sunderland to sort their ownership problems
The 59-year-old had been in charge of the East Anglia outfit since November 2012, guiding them to safety in the same season.
In his first full season, McCarthy helped them to finish ninth in the table – signing a new four-year deal in June 2014 – with a seventh-placed finish in 2016, but they have been unable to replicate similar form in recent seasons.
Given the early impact he had at the likes of Ipswich, Wolves and Millwall in the past, McCarthy could be an attractive prospect for the new Sunderland owners as they seek an immediate return to the Sky Bet Championship.
He would be the experienced option out of the front-runners, and someone who you would back to guide Sunderland into the Sky Bet Championship.
Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Fulham and Sunderland
The big stumbling block could be other vacancies that will become available in the summer, and McCarthy has been heavily linked with Leeds United in recent weeks.
Michael Appleton – 3/1
Leicester assistant manager Michael Appleton finds himself in the early running to replace Coleman.
The 42-year-old had a brief spell in temporary charge of West Brom in 2011, drawing 3-3 against West Ham in his only game, throwing away a 3-0 lead at half-time.
Appleton also had a tough run at Portsmouth following his departure from West Brom, posting just 13 wins in 51 games as the club battled to stay afloat during a financial crisis.
His spell at Blackpool lasted 12 matches – the shortest-serving manager in the club’s history with a 16.7 per cent win ratio – before departing for Blackburn, where he guided them to a victory over Arsenal at the Emirates in the FA Cup fifth round, but he left 67 days later with the club 18th in the Sky Bet Championship.
His managerial career picked up during a lengthy spell at Oxford United. During his three years at the club, Appleton guided them to Sky Bet League Two promotion and Football League Trophy success.
He would also take them to Wembley again, this time as EFL Trophy runners-up, while also narrowly missing out on a spot in the League One play-offs the season after.
Following Craig Shakespeare’s departure from Leicester in October, Appleton took caretaker charge and won games against Swansea and Leeds before the arrival of Claude Puel.
He would be a promising appointment for Sunderland given his track record at the level they now find themselves.
Chris Wilder – 4/1
Another name linked is Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, but it would be a surprise to see him switch the Blades for the Black Cats.
United narrowly missed out on a play-off spot in the Sky Bet Championship in their first season back in the division and he would have to leave Bramall Lane, where he finds himself as a popular figure, to move to the Stadium of Light and restart a journey that he has already begun in South Yorkshire.
Wilder has enjoyed a successful spell at his current club since taking over in May 2016, winning the Sky Bet League One title with a remarkable 100 points, losing just six of the 46 games they played.
It would take a very lucrative offer to prise Wilder away from his current club, but even then it is hard to see him leaving for this vacancy.
Sheffield United will be fancied as promotion contenders next season and it would not make a great deal of sense for Wilder to swap potential Premier League for the third tier.
Jaap Stam – 6/1
The former Reading boss was dismissed in March with the club sitting in 20th place and in danger of them joining Sunderland in the third tier next season.
Jaap Stam did take them to the play-off final last season, losing out to Huddersfield on penalties having finished the campaign in third, eight points off Brighton who gained automatic promotion to the Premier League.
A centre-back during his playing career, he organises his teams with the emphasis on defence and possession, a tactic that worked wonders for Reading in his first season. Overall, he boasted a 40.8 per cent win record at the Berkshire club, securing victory in 40 of his 98 games in charge.
He has also spent time as a coach at Dutch outfits NEC Zwolle and Ajax, showing he possesses some top-level experience.
For Sunderland, this summer will see a host of changes and that includes the playing squad. If Stam can ensure that he can build a strong back-line then he could potentially be a success for the Black Cats.
Kevin Phillips – 6/1
He may have been a European Golden Shoe winner during his playing career, but Kevin Phillips’ managerial CV is quite light.
The 44-year-old is currently the assistant manager at Derby, who could be a Premier League side next season if they can finish inside the Sky Bet Championship’s top six.
He finished his career at Leicester, taking up a coaching role with the Foxes where he would become assistant first-team coach, before joining Paul Clement at Derby, remaining within the set-up through numerous managerial changes.
Despite his lack of experience, this could be a good appointment for both parties as he looks to make his first step into management.
The level will suit him and he does possess the necessary coaching qualities to move into a club in the third tier who will be looking for a return to the Sky Bet Championship.
It would be the more risky appointment out of the current front-runners, but one that would be a positive move. Add in his lengthy spell at the club as a player, where he won a significant number of accolades, and it could be a move that sits well with a fan-base, who may currently find themselves distanced from the club.
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Sourse: skysports.com
