Sunderland have confirmed the appointment of Steve Cooper as their new permanent manager

Sunderland have confirmed the appointment of Steve Cooper as their new permanent manager

Journalist Dom Shaw believes Sunderland will make a “statement appointment” of a “tremendous” manager this summer, as the club searches for a new permanent head.

Sunderland manager’s latest

Michael Beale was fired as manager in February, following a two-month losing streak that included only four wins in 12 matches.

Mike Dodds has since taken over as temporary manager, but things have continued to go horribly, with the team picking up only one point. He will remain in command of the Stadium of Light until the end of the season, after which a new permanent manager will almost certainly be appointed.

Many possibilities have arisen as prospective Sunderland managers, including former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper, who was replaced by Nuno Espirito Santo at the City Ground earlier this season. Will Still, a highly regarded young Reims manager, has also long been a target, and rumors tying him to the post persist.

There were even suggestions that Alex Neil will return to the Black Cats after departing to join Stoke City in the summer of 2022, but it appears that ship has sailed.

Sunderland backed to hire “tremendous” manager

In a Q&A for We Are Sunderland [via Sunderland News], Shaw believes Cooper would be an excellent pick as Sunderland’s future manager:

“After months of preparation, they cannot afford another disappointing appointment. Could Sunderland tempt Steve Cooper back to the Championship? He accomplished an outstanding job at Nottingham Forest and is a shining example when it comes to working with young players. He’d make a statement appointment.”

Cooper would arguably be the most impressive realistic appointment made by Sunderland this summer, given that he had only recently managed in the Premier League, not to mention that he won the Under-17s World Cup with England in 2017, inspiring the likes of Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho to glory, among others. Sam Allardyce has previously shown appreciation for the Welshman, stating of him:

“Steve is one of the few managers that admits he has too many players. Dealing with it can divert your attention. You want to keep them all involved, employ them whenever possible, and see what they have, but ultimately, it’s a difficult decision. Steve has done an excellent job handling with these issues as well as getting good results.”

Sunderland’s biggest stumbling block could be Cooper’s willingness to drop down a tier, instead seeking another Premier League post shortly, but the Black Cats remain a major club in their own right, and he could regard it as an excellent next step in his career.

In any case, Sunderland’s owners must get Beale’s permanent replacement right, or risk another disastrous appointment.

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