Sunderland are ‘highly unlikely’ to reignite their interest in one out-of-work manager this summer.
Sunderland sacked Michael Beale only 12 games into his tenure last week, having lost half of those since December.
Instead of appointing their third manager this season, the club instead announced that Mike Dodds would take charge until the summer, giving them months to find the ideal permanent replacement.
After reportedly holding talks with Will Still before Christmas, there have been plenty of rumours claiming that the Black Cats will go back in for the Reims coach at the end of the season.
Potentially the most eye-catching name that has been linked – and not for the right reasons – is Alex Neil.
It was reported yesterday that the 42-year-old is ‘open’ to a return to Wearside following his sacking from Stoke City.
Neil left Sunderland in frustrating fashion, having won promotion to the Championship just months earlier. The coach criticised the club before abandoning them to join the Potters, though his stint there was far from successful.
Many fans have let their feelings know about a potential return for Neil, with most wanting him to stay as far away from the club as possible.
Former midfielder Carlton Palmer has now claimed that it is ‘highly unlikely’ that the Black Cats will go back in for Neil after all the trouble he caused in 2022.
Speaking to Football League World, he said: “Neil led Sunderland out of League One through the play-offs and was doing very, very well at Sunderland before walking out to take the Stoke job and in doing so he criticised the way that the club was run and the transfer situation with the hierarchy.
“So, that’s not going to change, and I think the way that he left the football club was not in a good way and then his comments.
“So, I think it’s highly unlikely that Sunderland will revisit the Alex Neil situation, and again, I thought at the time, you know, I do rate Alex Neil as a manager, and he’s done very, very well at previous clubs, but it’s surprising how many times, when you, do walk out, and I understand his reasoning for doing so because obviously Tony Mowbray had the same problems with Sunderland, also he took over and got them in the Championship play-offs.
“He also questioned the hierarchy of the situation as regards transfers etc. and the way the club was run.
“But i think it’s very unlikely Sunderland would revisit and bring Alex Neil back and, unfortunately for Alex Neil, he moved on to Stoke, and he didn’t fare very well there given the opportunities that he was backed in the transfer market by that club.”
Should Sunderland consider appointing Alex Neil?
Alex Neil was a very good manager for us and who knows how he would do second time round – but that’s not the point.
Even if the former Norwich City boss could pick up where he left off, he completely disrespected the fans and the club and left us in limbo – thankfully, his successor proved to be a success, but there would be even more anger aimed at him if we had gone straight back down again.
Neil only wants to come back to Wearside now that he’s been sacked by Stoke and we certainly won’t be here with open arms to welcome him back into employment.
He made his bed and now he can lay in it.