Sunderland have ‘skewed’ expectations with regards to their next managerial hire, claims this EFL pundit.
Sunderland have a growing list of managers on their shortlist ahead of the summer.
Several names are linked so far, with Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl now wanted by Sunderland ahead of the summer.
On the other side of the Steel City, former Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom is reportedly Sunderland’s no.1 target.
Elsewhere, Reims boss Will Still remains a person of interest; it was previously revealed exclusively on Sunderland AFC News that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus views Still as his ‘ideal’ managerial appointment ahead of the summer.
Sunderland linked with Reims boss Will Still
Still, 31, was linked with Sunderland before the club hired Michael Beale, and then again immediately after they sacked the former QPR and Rangers boss.
Still has dropped several hints about potentially leaving Reims in the summer and potentially heading to England.
He seems to be a preferred candidate among many Sunderland fans given the excitement surrounding him and the fact that he’s done a very impressive job in Ligue 1 with Reims.
But the clamour around Still to Sunderland may have made things awkward for the Black Cats, should they not eventually hire Still.
Will Still links have ‘skewed expectations amid Paul Heckingbottom links
Right now, it seems like Heckingbottom is becoming the front-runner for the Sunderland job.
He certainly fits the bill for a Championship club given his promotion-experience with Sheffield United, and his likeable demeanour could be the perfect cure following the controversial and short-lived Beale tenure.
But speaking on the Second Tier podcast, EFL pundit Ryan Dilks has revealed why he thinks Sunderland’s ongoing links with Still have perhaps ‘skewed’ expectations for who the next manager at the Stadium of Light should be.
Dilks said:
“The Will Still thing has really… it’s really skewed our expectations of who Sunderland should get in next. So whoever they get in is going up against the fact that they’re not Will Still.”
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus facing pivotal summer
There’s certainly a point to be made here.
Sunderland fans arguably wanted Still after Tony Mowbray, and then Beale arriving set the tone almost immediately for what unfolded.
And whilst Heckingbottom wouldn’t be half as underwhelming an appointment as Beale, he would certainly, like Dilks says, be going up against the fact that he’s not Still.
Still is hot property in management now and it seems like Sunderland might be the team to bring him to England.
The fans are calling for it and right now, there doesn’t seem to be another team making as much clamour for Still; West Ham maybe, but that feels like a step too soon for the Belgian-English coach.
Still though would be an appointment for the summer whereas Heckingbottom could come in now.
So the matter lies with the owners’ and Kristjaan Speakman‘s preference on when they want as manager, as much as who they want.