“Why not give it a go?" - Sunderland told to hire 31-y/o manager if Will Still is out of reach | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sunderland are considering a move for René Marić as their next head coach.

According to iNews, the Black Cats are weighing up an offer to Bayern Munich's under-19's head coach, who is no stranger to working in England, having been an assistant manager at Leeds United under Jesse Marsch.

The Wearside outfit are still searching for a new permanent head coach following Michael Beale’s dismissal in February.

Mike Dodds was placed in charge until the end of the campaign, but results were poor overall, and it led to a 16th-placed finish in the Championship.

Marić is the latest name to be linked to the role, but it remains to be seen who will be officially appointed by Sunderland just yet.

Could Rene Maric be a good appointment at Sunderland?

FLW’s Sunderland fan pundit Jack Austwicke has claimed it could be worthwhile taking a risk by appointing an unknown quantity like Marić given the success names like Enzo Maresca, Danny Rohl and Martí Cifuentes have enjoyed in the Championship.

However, he has admitted that Will Still remains his preferred choice to fill the vacancy at the Stadium of Light.

“I’d be lying if I said I knew a lot about Rene Marić,” Austwicke told Football League World.

“We’ve seen a lot of them (European coaches) come over, Danny Rohl, (Enzo) Maresca have all done well, (Marti) Cifuentes.

“There’s a lot of good managers who have coaching experience and little first team managerial experience, but they’ve come here and done good jobs.

“Sometimes you’ve got to take risks, it’s not always the best option to go for the safe option.

“Sometimes it’s worth taking the risk.

“I’m not too sure about Marić, but why not give it a go? But definitely my heart is set on Will Still at the moment.”

Will Still linked with Sunderland head coach role

Still has been linked with the availability at Sunderland in recent months, and is now free to take on the role after departing his former club Stade de Reims.

The 31-year-old has earned a lot of praise for his work with the Ligue 1 side, but form in recent weeks saw their European qualification hopes fade away.

This led to his departure ahead of the end of the season, opening the door for a move to Sunderland, having been strongly linked following the December 2023 exit of Tony Mowbray.

Despite this development, it still remains to be seen who will be appointed as Beale’s long-term successor, with Kyril Louis-Dreyfus biding his time following the end of the regular Championship campaign.

Rene Marić would be a left-field appointment for Sunderland

Marić has earned a strong reputation within the game for being a very smart tactical thinker, which has led to him earning a high-profile coaching role at Bayern Munich.

The step up to becoming a head coach involves more than smart tactical acumen, but he would be a good stylistic fit for the vacancy at Sunderland.

The Black Cats would like someone who will accept the club’s philosophy and can work alongside sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, which should suit Marić.

However, his lack of experience working as the main man is a concern and is likely why Still has the edge as most people’s preferred candidate for the role.