Despite a host of stories suggesting a few high-profile figures have ruled themselves out of the running to succeed Dick Advocaat, senior figures at the Stadium of Light are happy with the way their search for a new manager is progressing.
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Pearson divides opinion thanks to his abrasive personality, but there is respect within the Sunderland hierarchy for the successful way in which he guided Leicester to safety in the final two months of last season.
But he is not at the top of Sunderland’s wishlist, although Congerton may have to cast his net wide if he can not convince either leading contenders Sam Allardyce or Burnley’s Sean Dyche to take over on Wearside.
This is what Advocaat told Dutch show Studio Voetbal, “I already made my decision last week, but the club asked me to do the match against West Ham and I really wanted to finish this in style”.
And The Guardian said former Tottenham and West Ham boss Harry Redknapp has ruled himself out. All they are interested in is survival in the Premier League.
And Poyet said: “Now there is another manager leaving and it is a little bit too many”.
Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat took the more proactive move and walked before he was pushed with the Black Cats yet to walk away from any game this season with three points.
“There is something that is not working there and it’s clear that what everybody was naturally accepting, that it was the manager, is not (true)”.
He has done it everywhere he has been so it’s not something new. A refrain which Gustavo Poyet, Paolo di Canio and Martin O’Neill, his immediate predecessors, would not disagree with.
“That experience of being there for so long will definitely help”. If I knew what it was I would call the chairman tomorrow, but I don’t.
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His ability to bring the best out of a squad of players, without the need for a big budget, is something that stands out to Gray: “he can work on a shoestring and he’s done it before” – an ability he may need should he join the club.
