Sunderland have started their week off with a bang after reports emerged that Michael Beale has been sacked.
The 43-year-old has lasted 12 games in charge after only picking up four wins, while he was finally sent packing after enduring back-to-back defeats against Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City.
Sunderland fans had been calling for his sacking for weeks now and it looks like the club had finally accepted defeat on their controversial appointment.
The Athletic journalist Michael Walker wrote on X: “Michael Beale to depart Sunderland imminently. No official announcement yet but expected soon.”
Sunderland are eager to bag a place in the play-offs this season and will hope a third manager in only three months can push them up the table, after falling down to tenth place at the weekend.
There has been no indication of who could succeed Beale on Wearside, though fans will be hoping it doesn’t take as long as previous appointments.
Here are three managers who could replace Michael Beale at Sunderland…
Mike Dodds
Mike Dodds is probably the most likely to take the hot-seat following Michael Beale’s sacking.
The 37-year-old has spent the last two and a half years with Sunderland and most recently took charge of three games following Tony Mowbray’s exit.
The coach claimed two spectacular wins over Leeds United and West Brom, before losing to Bristol City.
Supporters were left really impressed by Dodds’ tactics and presence on the touchline and was even touted to take the job on a permanent basis.
The Black Cats don’t really have the time to scour Europe for an exciting young manager this time, while they are probably significantly less attractive of a proposal than they were before Christmas too.
Promoting Dodds until the end of the season could be the club’s best bet and I don’t think many fans would be opposed to it either.
Steve Cooper
Steve Cooper has been out of work since he was sacked by Nottingham Forest in December, but it is quite surprising that he hasn’t been snapped up by a Championship club yet.
The 10/10 Welshman joined Forest in September 2021, with the Midlands outfit sat bottom of the division.
Cooper completely changed the atmosphere, tactics and mentality at the City Ground, eventually guiding them back to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years.
Cooper also has bags of experience working with younger players, having previously managed England U16s and England U17s – helping the latter win the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017, as well as reaching the European Championship final.
The 44-year-old worked with the likes of Marc Guehi, Phil Foden, Conor Gallagher and Morgan Gibbs-White.
Paul Heckingbottom
Paul Heckingbottom is far from an exciting appointment, but could be a good one to get the job done for the rest of the season.
The former defender won promotion to the Championship back in 2016, before earning his big break with Sheffield United as they won automatic promotion to the top flight last season.
Heckingbottom reached the play-offs in his first season but failed to beat Nottingham Forest, before a brilliant 2022-23 campaign saw him won Championship Manager of the Month three times, before guiding the club back to the Premier League.
The 46-year-old was sacked by the Blades in December with the club four points adrift at the bottom of the table, claiming one win from 14 games.
They have since picked up another two wins in their eleven games since, but sit seven points from safety.