Sunderland have a huge summer ahead for numerous reasons. However top of that list is their new head coach appointment. The club simply can’t afford to get this wrong. Names such as Will Still, Danny Rohl and Paul Heckingbottom have all been linked with the vacancy. Certainly, a mixed bag. People will of course have their own name in mind as to who they'd like to see as the new Sunderland head coach and ultimately whoever Sunderland do choose, it won’t please everyone. It’s impossible. Let’s take a closer look at the managers that have been linked.
WILL STILL
Anyone that has used twitter in the past 12 months should be well aware of this name. A young, ambitious coach that has exceeded expectations at Reims in France. The reason you’ll probably know his name is because of the fact it was widely mentioned how Reims had to pay a £22k fine for every game he took charge of Reims. This was because he did not have a UEFA Pro License however since that, he has attained his badges and therefore this fine no longer applies. Still led Reims to an incredible 17 game unbeaten run in Ligue 1 which is no easy feat when faced with sides like PSG, Monaco, Lyon etc. An 11th placed finish last season was more than respectable and Reims currently sit 9th at the time of writing. A very healthy position for a club like Reims.
DANNY ROHL
Sheffield Wednesday could still be very much relegated this season. Ironically it could come down to the last game of the season when they face Sunderland. However the reason they still have a fighting chance of survival is down to this man, Danny Rohl. The 34-year-old landed his first job as the main man of a team following assistant roles with Bayern Munich, Leipzig, Southampton and most recently with Germany. Rohl was appointed in October 2023, joining a Wednesday side that were rock-bottom of the Championship, winless in their opening 10 games. Nine points from safety. Fast forward to now and Sheffield Wednesday still find themselves in the bottom three, but only a point from safety and only four away from 16th. Since his appointment, Wednesday have picked up 12 wins in 30 games alongside three draws. A huge improvement and a big accomplishment for Rohl who by no means has a squad littered with talent.
PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM
Heckinbottom was linked with the Sunderland job fairly recently and it was met with mixed opinions on social media. Many people see it as a short sighted appointment whereas others think it would be smart. It’s worth mentioning Heckingbottom won promotion from this league just last season with Sheffield United. Albeit with a significantly more experienced squad than the one he would inherit at Sunderland. Nonetheless, he knows the league and knows how to get out of it. Many arguments against his appointment have been made in regards to the job he did with Sheffield United in the Premier League prior to his sacking. The Yorkshire club were (and still are) rock bottom of the Premier League and at one point looked like they may break Derby’s lowest ever point record. Would it be as bad as a Beale appointment? No, not for me. He has experience and knows what it takes. Would it be an appointment that rejuvenates the fanbase and brings back the optimism we had just last season? Also no, not for me.
WHO WOULD I TAKE?
My pick? Personally, I’d like to see Will Still come in. Yes, he lacks the experience in this division but the job he's done with Reims in France is very, very solid. He had a team overachieving and competing for European places. His system is dynamic and could certainly be one that would suit Sunderland with the emphasis on having wide players isolating opposition full backs in order to create opportunities. Effective but also entertaining to watch. Balogun was in excellent striker form for Reims during his time at the club having struggled almost everywhere else he’s been. Could he be the one to get our current crop of strikers firing? Also, I think Still is one of few candidates that would bring fans back on board. The appointment of Beale was hated by almost everyone from the start. Unambitious. Cheap. A manager who had achieved nothing of note. Still would outline some form of ambition both short and long term. It’s about time the club showed ambition and a real desire to get Sunderland promoted back to the Premier League and I think this would be a real way of doing so.
