Sunderland AFC latest: Paul Heckingbottom blow, Mike Dodds admission, West Ham & Wigan links | OneFootball

Sunderland have struggled in Mike Dodds' second interim spell of 2023/24, which has seen their outside chances of making the top six fall away.

Dodds has stepped up as a caretaker twice this term, following the departures of Tony Mowbray in December and Michael Beale earlier this year, but while the first spell was a success, the second has been quite the opposite.

The Black Cats have won just one of their last ten games, which has seen them slide all the way down to 15th. This now means that they are 15 points off the play-off places with five games to go, with Championship football looking a certainty next season for Sunderland.

Here we take a look at the latest news surrounding Sunderland at the moment.

Mike Dodds will not experiment in the final games of the season

As we head into the final five games of the season, Sunderland do not have much to play for. This has led to suggestions that Dodds might look to the U21 squad to potentially give some younger players some opportunities to impress.

But Dodds has denied that he will do this. He told The Northern Echo: “I’ve said in previous press conferences, I don’t want the last five games to be an experiment. I want to win the last five games.

“Results haven’t gone how I want the results to go, but I’m not going to experiment in the last five games just for the sake of experimenting. If they get an opportunity, it will be completely deserved.”

Sunderland face promotion chasers Leeds United tomorrow and then face play-off hopefuls West Bromwich Albion on the weekend.

Paul Heckingbottom hit with a coaching blow

Whilst Dodds is in charge until the end of the season, the man who will take the job permanently is still unknown.

One of the managers to be linked with the job has been Paul Heckingbottom, who was most recently at Sheffield United.

But according to Alan Nixon, Heckingbottom is the favourite for the job, however, he will only be able to bring one member of staff with him, with Sunderland wanting to keep some of the existing staff.

It will be interesting to see whether this comes as a stumbling block for Heckingbottom, or any other manager in fact.

Mubama and Tickle linked again

As we edge closer to the summer window, the transfer rumour mill is starting to pickup again.

Sunderland have been linked once again with two players who they have previously been registered with an interest in.

The first is West Ham striker Divin Mubama. The Sunderland Echo claims that Mubama will become a free agent at the end of the season after failing to agree on a new contract at the London Stadium.

Sunderland were previously .

Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Sam Tickle.

Patreon, the Black Cats are ‘checking on’ the 22-year-old, with the England U21 international having a stellar season for the Latics.