INCOMING NEWS; Next Sunderland manager: Former Newcastle United captain and Leeds United manager linked with Championship position.
Next Sunderland manager: Former Newcastle United captain & Leeds United boss linked with Championship job
Sunderland are searching for a new permanent manager following Michael Beale’s sacking.
Beale became the shortest permanent manager in Sunderland’s history after just two months and 12 games in charge, winning four, drawing two and losing six. Among the six defeats was a 3-0 loss to rivals Newcastle United at the Stadium of Light in the FA Cup third round last month.
Mike Dodds has been appointed as interim manager until the end of the season as The Black Cats search for a permanent replacement for Beale. The early favourite for the role is former Newcastle United captain Scott Parker, who last managed Club Brugge in Belgium.
Parker left Brugge almost a year ago following a Champions League exit and a disappointing run of results in the Belgian Pro League. The 43-year-old also previously managed AFC Bournemouth and Fulham in the Premier League and Championship, earning promotion from the second tier with each side.
Parker played 73 games for Newcastle United between 2005 and 2007, scoring six goals. He replaced Alan Shearer as captain of the club following the striker’s retirement in 2006.
Parker’s former England team-mate Frank Lampard has also been linked with the role at the Stadium of Light. Lampard previously had spells in charge of Derby County, Everton and Chelsea.
Parker is priced at 7/4 by some bookmakers, ahead of the likes of Frank Lampard (2/1), Will Still (3/1) and Paul Heckingbottom (7/2).
Should Parker take up the role as Black Cats boss, it would most likely be at the end of the season as Mike Dodds is expected to remain as caretaker manager until then.
The former Newcastle captain also had managerial spells at Fulham and Bournemouth, achieving promotion to the Premier League with both.
