Former Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has given his verdict on two key Sunderland manager targets.
Poyet was recently in headlines after he discussed the Sunderland manager job.
He revealed his ongoing relationship with the Sunderland owners and failed to rule out his possible interest in a return to Wearside.
Poyet is currently out of work after leaving his position as the Greek national team boss last month, nine years after he left Sunderland.
Sunderland manager latest
And Poyet has now discussed two Sunderland manager targets in Paul Heckingbottom and Danny Rohl.
The pair certainly seem to be among the front-runners right now.
Heckingbottom is also out of work after leaving Sheffield United earlier in the campaign, whilst Rohl is still battling for Championship survival with the Blades’ Steel City rivals Sheffield Wednesday.
Elsewhere, Reims boss Will Still was recently spotted at Stamford Bridge, where he watched the Chelsea vs Everton game on Monday.
Gus Poyet verdict on Sunderland targets Paul Heckingbottom and Danny Rohl
Speaking in another recent interview, Poyet gave his verdict on the Sunderland manager search.
He said when discussing Heckingbottom’s links to the Stadium of Light:
“There is a great crop of young talent [at Sunderland], so it’s important to know what you’re looking for and secure a coach who matches that philosophy.
“An experienced coach can work to guide the youngsters forward and it can work to get a coach who has secured promotion as they know how to get the job done.”
And on Rohl, Poyet said:
“The club must look at what vision they want and then progress down that route.
“If Danny [Rohl] matches that philosophy then, he can work to take them forward. He is a good coach and has a battle on his hands to keep Sheffield Wednesday in the league.”
Gus Poyet comments lean towards one candidate
Poyet’s comments about the vision and philosophy and getting a manager in who is aligned with that are fair, if nothing new.
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman do have a clear vision for the future and they’ve tried to hire managers who match that vision, albeit with mixed results so far.
Having a manager who can compliment the youthfulness of the squad seems key.
And also, after Michael Beale’s short-lived tenure, having a manager with more Championship experience may be crucial, as Poyet seems to suggest.
That, then, hints at Heckingbottom being the more suitable candidate.
Rohl may be the more exciting and daring choice for Sunderland, but he’ll cost the club a compensation fee and may also come with risks, given his inexperience.
Heckingbottom though is out of work, tried and tested, and seems to have an air of Tony Mowbray about him.
Mowbray wasn’t an overly-wanted manager at the time but he went on to become one of the most loved Sunderland coaches of the modern era.
Sunderland return to Championship action vs Millwall this weekend.
