After firing Steve Bruce earlier in the week, Sunderland have announced that former Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has been signed to a three year contract to manage the club.
After sacking Steve Bruce, who had been with the team since 2009, Sunderland find themselves in need of a new manager. Their number one choice for the position, apparently, is former Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill, who could well be in place by this weekend if the club have their way. O'Neill, who hasn't managed since he left Villa shortly before the start of last season, has demonstrated that he can take a mid-table side into steady contention for the Europa League spots, which is the next big step up for Sunderland.
With the Guardian saying that the Black Cats are pushing all of their energy into securing O'Neill's signature, there doesn't appear to be room in the picture for Mark Hughes, who's been out of work ever since he stepped down as Fulham manager last summer. Although Hughes in many ways might have been a more sensible candidate for the job than O'Neill, he's been relegated to a clear second choice. Either way, however, Sunderland will have upgraded to a manager very capable of taking them to Europe. We'll just have to see what happens.
For more on all things Sunderland, check out the Roker Report.
On Wednesday, following a string of bad results, Sunderland AFC sacked manager Steve Bruce after a string of poor results. Bruce did well to get the Wearside club into the top half of the table last season, but recent results have been poor despite Bruce having a decent squad at his disposal. They sit in 16th place with two wins from 13 games, with a home loss to Wigan Athletic being the straw that broke the camel's back for the Sunderland board.
SB Nation's Sunderland blog Roker Report writes that Steve Bruce was a good hire when he was brought to the club, but that the Black Cats now deserve better.
For a long long time, Sunderland were seen as a yo-yo team. Niall Quinn and Roy Keane saw to it that we got into the Premier League and remained there (with a little help from Ricky Sbragia). A proven Premier League side.
Steve Bruce came in later as the best calibre of manager we could attract at the time to a team which was perennially near the darker end of the Premier League with aspirations of achieving more.
Bruce went on to take us to tenth. By hook or by crook, tenth is tenth, and a solid achievement. He brought in a much higher class of player, however it seems now that we're ready for the next logical step. Someone who can take us to the top ten once more, and keep us there consistently.
The next appointment could be a key one in our future, if we're to avoid regression. I hope Ellis Short knows what he's doing.
Sunderland are a much more financially secure and much more talented side than when Bruce came in. With their new hire, Sunderland will likely look to a manager with a history of leading clubs into the top half, not a manager who has done a lot with a little in the Championship and Premier League relegation battles.
For more on Bruce's firing and Sunderland AFC, check out SB Nation's Sunderland blog Roker Report.
Sunderland have finally parted ways with Steve Bruce after a dreadful opening to a season which see the Black Cats hovering just two points above the relegation zone - not the kind of start that was expected from a team which many tipped to challenge for Europe this season. With a haul of just 11 points from 13 matches and Sunderland still trapped in the tailspin that's characterised the club since the sale of Darren Bent last January, Bruce couldn't have expected to keep his job for much longer, and, well, now he's gone, making him the first casualty from the league managerial ranks this season.
There were plenty of signs that Sunderland's struggles were more luck-based than anything else. By goal differential, the club is average - their GD of zero would put them ahead of Aston Villa and Everton, who are in eighth and ninth in the real table respectively, let alone the likes of Queens Park Rangers and Swansea. However, at some point you can't just wave a string of poor results (like losing at home to Wigan Athletic after failing to beat Fulham) away, and the blame most naturally falls on the manager.This has been a difficult time for everyone at Sunderland and is not a situation that any of us envisaged or expected to be in.
Sunderland announced the news via a statement issued by chairman Ellis Short on the club's official website:
It is my job as chairman to act in the best interests of our football club at all times and I can assure everyone that this is not a decision that I have taken lightly. Sadly results this season have simply not been good enough and I feel the time is right to make a change.
Steve has acted with honesty and integrity throughout, which is testament to the character and commitment he has shown during his time at Sunderland.
I would like to personally place on record my thanks to him for his significant contribution to our football club over the past two and a half years and everyone here at Sunderland naturally wishes him the very best for the future.
Will this help? Well, Sunderland are underachieving and will probably have gotten back to normal whether or not Bruce stayed, so we should expect a big improvement for the club between now and the end of the season. If that does happen, you can bet your bottom dollar that many will point to this moment as the ship started righting itself. And who are we to disagree with that narrative?
For more on the Steve Bruce firing and all things Sunderland, visit the Roker Report.
Martin O'Neill Announced As New Sunderland Manager
Days after sacking Steve Bruce, Sunderland AFC have announced the signing of his replacement: Martin O'Neill will take the reigns at the Stadium of Light. The former Aston Villa boss, who hasn't been in management since leaving Villa Park shortly before the 2010/11 season, has signed a three-year contract to guide the Black Cats, who'll be looking to the 59-year-old to guide them towards steady European qualification, much as he did with the midlands side during his four-year tenure there.
Here's the official tweet (yes, this is how things are announced these days):
Sunderland AFC#SAFC are delighted to announce the appointment of Martin O'Neill as manager on a three-year contract #MON
Dec 03 via webFavoriteRetweet
O'Neill's a great choice for a team that wants to cement their position as a strong top-half side, and he makes a lot of sense for Sunderland, who probably need a little bit of help to get over the hump and into Europe on a regular basis. He does come with downsides, but after their appalling start to the season, Sunderland fans probably aren't going to worry about him handing out a few bad contract over the next few years as long as he turns the on-field performances around.
For more on Sunderland and their new manager, check out Roker Report.
Dec 03 8:55a by Graham MacAree - 0 comments