Sunderland remain without a manager, with new names coming into speculative contention.
After Sunderland saw Will Still and Liam Rosenior both pull out of contention to become the next Sunderland manager, there’s now very few linked names remaining.
Rene Maric is still liked and still holding off on signing a new deal to become Vincent Kompany’s no.2 at Bayern Munich.
Elsewhere, Sunderland like QPR manager Marti Cifuentes, but would have to pay a six-figure compensation fee to poach him from their Championship rivals.
There’s also reports that Sunderland remain in talks with two unnamed candidates, as we approach the four-month mark since the Black Cats sacked Michael Beale.
With few names left to pick from, many Sunderland fans on social media have speculated about who might soon enter into the running.
Former Chelsea, Derby County, and Everton manager Frank Lampard is doing the rounds on social media, and he’s also among the bookies’ favourites to arrive at the Stadium of Light.
His link seems inevitable given the fact that he’s out of work and seemingly keen on a return to the Championship, with the former England star also linked with the Burnley job.
Scott Parker may enter race to become next Sunderland manager
Whenever a club is without a manager, it’s inevitable that out-of-work managers are linked, whether they really are of interest or not.
Another like Lampard, who is currently without a club but boasts experience of the Championship, is Lampard’s former Chelsea and England teammate Scott Parker.
The 43-year-old was last with Club Brugge in Belgium. He lasted just 12 games, winning two in what was quite a rogue appointment for all involved.
Parker is better known for guiding both Fulham and Bournemouth to promotion from the Championship, doing so with Fulham in 2020 and then with the Cherries in 2022.
As a player, Parker represented the likes of Charlton Athletic, Chelsea, Newcastle United, West Ham, Spurs, and Fulham, also claiming 18 caps for England.
Could Scott Parker be a good fit for next Sunderland manager
Like Lampard, Parker is often linked with vacant Championship jobs, and often a figure of mixed opinions.
At both Fulham and Bournemouth, Parker had his critics, despite guiding both teams to eventual promotions to the Premier League, albeit with strong first-teams.
He’s also endured a tough recent spell with Brugge, and whether or not he’s wants a return to the Championship this summer remains to be seen.
Like with Lampard, though, Parker was a very good player. He’s followed the career path of a youth player to an England player and that could hold him in very good stead should he arrive at Sunderland, given the amount of youngsters they have on their books.
As a manager, Parker also boasts more Championship experience than Lampard, having proved that he has what it takes to guide a team to promotion, doing so more than once.
At this stage of the search process, Sunderland will inevitably have to settle for a back-up option. But names like Lampard and Parker don’t seem like terrible back-up options.