It's not Will Still but Sunderland manager news should not be moaned about: View | OneFootball

Sunderland’s disappointing end to this Championship season continued on Monday afternoon, as they were battered 5-1 by struggling Blackburn Rovers.

This 2023/24 campaign has been very turbulent for the Black Cats, as there was hope at the start that the club could continue their form from the previous campaign.

However, it soon became clear that it wasn’t going to be that easy, and then the sudden departure of Tony Mowbray was announced.

Former Rangers manager Mick Beale was given the task of replacing the popular manager, but it didn’t work out, and he was sacked after 12 games.

So, Mike Dodds has been given the reins until the end of the season, and it looks like the club is going to go out with a whimper as their disappointing form continues.

The Black Cats claimed a 2-0 win over Cardiff City on Friday, but were soon brought back down with a disappointing display against Blackburn.

That result and performance came after it was revealed that former Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom is at the top of the club’s managerial list.

Paul Heckingbottom is at the top of Sunderland’s managerial list

As mentioned, Sunderland are looking for a new manager and will hope to have one in place for the new season.

The Black Cats decided to give Mike Dodds the reins, as it gave them more time to find the right candidate to takeover in the summer.

Therefore, it now seems as though former Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom is the club’s top target, as reported by journalist Alan Nixon.

Nixon states that the club is looking for a long-term appointment, and they believe Heckingbottom ticks all the boxes, putting him at the top of their list.

However, there is one small problem in terms of Sunderland getting the former Blades manager, and that is that he needs to be willing to work within the current framework of the football club.

The Black Cats have been looking to target young, upcoming players in recent years, and they would like to continue that under the next manager. Furthermore, they would also like to retain the existing staff that are already at the club, something that Heckingbottom would have to agree to.

Given that Sunderland will not make the play-offs this season, the supporters will all be thinking about what the club is planning to do next in terms of a new manager.

The disappointment of this campaign means there is even more pressure on the club’s hierarchy to get the next managerial appointment right; therefore, looking at someone like Paul Heckingbottom makes perfect sense.

The Black Cats did very well under Mowbray, as he was a manager who had plenty of experience under his belt and knew everything there was to know about the Championship.

Mick Beale was the opposite, and along with other factors, that was probably why it didn’t work out, so looking at Heckingbottom makes sense, as he is in the same category as Mowbray.

The 46-year-old has taken charge of 165 games in the Championship so far in his managerial career, 68 of which have ended in wins and 57 have ended in defeats, per Transfermarkt.

Out of those 165 games in charge, Heckingbottom has won 244 points from managing Sheffield United, Leeds United, and Barnsley, while he averages 1.48 points per game, as per Transfermarkt.

Heckingbottom has enormous experience at this level, and the clubs he has worked at have been very big in terms of Championship status.

Sheffield United and Leeds always have huge pressure on them in the second tier as the fans expect promotion, and the same would be said at Sunderland, so the 46-year-old would be able to handle that from supporters and can use his experience when it comes to tough times.

Furthermore, while Heckingbottom may not be the most glamorous appointment for the Black Cats, he could be perfect for the club, as he’s been around the promotion places numerous times now and knows everything there is to know about the league.

Sunderland need a manager with an experienced head, but also someone who can lead a team through good and bad times.

Sunderland has a very young football team, so it could be said that the club needs an experienced leader in the dugout, and not many come better than Heckingbottom when it comes to Championship football.

The concern would be his style of play, but Sunderland need to weigh up whether they want to be a pretty side with lots of young, exciting talent or a side that can develop players but also know how to get out of this division.

If it is the latter, then Heckingbottom is someone the club should be looking at, and it could be a shrewd appointment.