Journalist provides timeframe for potential Sunderland manager appointment | OneFootball

Journalist Phil Smith has provided an update on Sunderland’s search for a new head coach.

The Black Cats placed Mike Dodds in charge of the first team squad in February, with the 37-year-old keeping the role on an interim basis until the end of the season.

It has been a difficult few months for the interim coach, who has overseen the team’s drop to 15th in the Championship table.

Dodds has guided the team to just two victories from his 12 games in charge since returning to the role following Michael Beale’s dismissal.

No official appointment has yet been made over a permanent replacement for Beale, despite speculation linking a number of names with the vacancy.

Sunderland head coach search latest

Smith believes that an appointment will be made swiftly after the season officially concludes.

He has suggested that the Championship club has not rushed into appointing someone due to potential candidates currently being in work, meaning they have been waiting for the campaign to end before opening any talks.

”I think Sunderland need to be really, really proactive at the end of the season,” said Smith, via the Sunderland Echo’s YouTube channel.

“The only point of giving Mike Dodds the interim role was that you could say, well this gives them the opportunity to reflect and the opportunity to run a very thorough process and hopefully not rush into another appointment like the Beale one was.

“So I think it’s absolutely imperative that we see some positive action at the end of the season, both in terms of communication – coming out and addressing supporters, talking about what's gone wrong, what needs to change, what we have learnt, what’s going to change – and also delivering a little bit of action.

“The biggest thing they can do is give us a new coach, so that’s something that I would really like to see.

“Do I think it will happen? Yes, I’m fairly sure there will be a quick resolution.

“Whether it will happen immediately, I don’t know.

“I do think one of the reasons Sunderland are waiting until the end of the season to make an appointment is because they are interested in talking to people who are currently in work.

“So I think realistically, some candidates may not become available until their respective leagues end, so will that delay it a little bit? I think that's a possibility.

"However, I do think that the process has been progressing behind the scenes and I am hopeful that there is an appreciation and an understanding that they need to be pretty proactive.”

Three names linked to Sunderland head coach vacancy

Sunderland were competing for promotion to the Premier League prior to Tony Mowbray’s dismissal in December.

He was replaced by Beale, who lasted just 63 days in the position before being sacked in February.

Dodds has been in charge of the team since, but he has been unable to recover the team’s form.

The Wearside outfit’s campaign will now end this weekend with a home game against Sheffield Wednesday on 4 May.

Sunderland have been linked with names such as Danny Rohl, Will Still and Paul Heckingbottom in recent months.

Sunderland right to be patient with head coach appointment

The appointment of a new head coach will be very important for Sunderland, as they simply cannot repeat the disaster that Beale proved to be.

So taking their time and focusing on next season has been the right attitude to take once promotion became so unlikely.

If they can appoint someone like Still or Rohl, then that would be really exciting for supporters as the work they’ve done recently has been quite impressive.

Heckingbottom also has a track record of success at this level, gaining promotion with Sheffield United, so could also prove a smart appointment by the Black Cats.