The powers that be at Sunderland know that this next managerial appointment is crucial, aware that another blunder won't be accepted by the already restless Wearsiders.
Going through three different bosses in the end throughout 2023/24 – with the decision to axe Tony Mowbray towards the start of the campaign not paying off whatsoever – meant no settled face could really leave a lasting impact on the downtrodden camp, with a need now for a fixed body to remain in the Stadium of Light hot-seat to try and bring success back.
Linked with outlandish names from far and wide to replace Mike Dodds, including the heavily-fancied Bo Svensson who was recently a manager in the Bundesliga with FC Mainz 05, Sunderland might well decide to go down a less flashy route if they appointed this other rumoured face.
Sunderland could look at recently sacked boss
Sacked in controversial circumstances by Hull City after guiding the Tigers to seventh spot in the Championship, the "highly-regarded" Liam Rosenior – as dubbed by Henry Winter – is a name that will no doubt be floating about for a number of vacancies including the Sunderland one.
Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini stated that Rosenior would be 'interested' in the Black Cats job if approached to bounce back from his disappointing end at the MKM Stadium, when speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle's Total Sport programme recently.
Rosenior could well be a good fit for a club trying to get back on the footballing map and strive for promotion success, having breathed life back into the Tigers during a two-year stay.
Backed well in the transfer market with additions such as Fabio Carvalho and Liam Delap, it would remain to be seen whether Rosenior could work with more limited resources on Wearside.
Yet, with his time at Derby County before taking on the Hull job seeing Rosenior receive praise for managing to steady the ship at Pride Park during testing times, the 39-year-old could be a perfect alternative to the relatively unknown entity of Svensson who has only managed in Austria and Germany.
Liam Rosenior's time at Hull
The ex-Rams interim manager excelled in the hot seat at Hull for the majority of his two years in charge, considering it was the manager's first proper gig.
Sunderland will hope Rosenior can get the Black Cats playing the same expansive, easy-on-the-eye football that his Tigers side were known to play if he is gifted the reins – Hull averaging 55.4% of the ball this season, which was the same as Sunderland's according to FBRef, but managing to do so much more with it.
Manager
Games managed
Wins
Draws
Losses
Rosenior
90
34
30
26
Svensson
237
109
55
73
Sourced by Transfermarkt.
Setting his side up in a formation that Sunderland had also grown accustomed to this campaign just gone, the 4-2-3-1 approach deployed by Rosenior for Hull saw 16 more goals find the back of the net compared to the struggling Black Cats on top of three more wins being tallied up.
The in-demand 39-year-old could also get even more out of Jack Clarke on his potential arrival when you assess how his Hull team operated going forward, with star winger Jaden Philogene – who has averaged 4.88 progressive carries over the past year per 90 minutes – coming in as the top scorer for the season with 12 goals.
Sunderland might well want to give Rosenior a shot at redemption in the second tier after such a harsh dismissal, therefore, instead of opting for the left-field Svensson.
The Black Cats will want to get an appointment in through the door very soon regardless of who does enter though, bringing this next manager saga to a close potentially with Rosenior.
Sunderland could appoint an “unbelievable” John O’Shea alternative
Sunderland could look towards this John O’Shea alternative as their next manager.
ByKelan SarsonApr 22, 2024