Phil Brown says that he will not leave Southend United to become Sunderland assistant manager.
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The pair have worked together on two previous occasions, with Brown operating as Allardyce’s assistant first at Blackpool and then in a six-year spell at Bolton Wanderers.
However, the 33-year-old is an excellent character to have in the dressing room and is also available to sign immediately as he had his contract terminated by West Ham last month and is therefore able to move outside of the transfer window.
Briefly a Sunderland centre-half during the early 1980s, Allardyce had been enjoying a sabbatical following his departure from West Ham in May.
It would be a logical move for the new manager to bring in one of his trusted lieutenants as he looks to steer Sunderland towards safety.
He is now a free agent after leaving Upton Park by “mutual consent” in August, and has trained with League Two side Leyton Orient to keep fit.
His first home game at the Stadium of Light will be against Newcastle on 25 October, with an away trip to West Brom before that on 17 October.
Allardyce spent most of last week on holiday in Spain, and has agreed to return to management despite the imminent release of a new autobiography.
“I am very pleased to welcome Sam to our football club”, said Short.
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No, he shouldn’t bizarrely make him club captain but he should accept that Kaboul simply isn’t good enough for Sunderland and drop him indefinitely. “He has vast experience of managing in the Premier League and an understanding, first-hand, of the passion of our fans, which will stand him in great stead”. “The process was made easier by the fact that Sam was such an obvious choice”.
