Mike Dodds provided an update on Sunderland’s search for a new head coach.
Mike Dodds expects to continue in charge for the remainder of the season, but has stated that Sunderland’s hunt for Michael Beale’s permanent replacement is ongoing.
Dodds has taken command of five games since Beale’s departure in February, but has been unable to halt the club’s winless streak due to a lengthy list of injuries and suspensions. The interim head coach believes the club is willing to move the appointment forward if the proper candidate is found before the end of the season, but he insists on not making a hasty choice. As a result, he is quite likely to remain in his position as interim boss until the summer.
Sunderland has began speaking with candidates on their shortlist and plans to complete a thorough process ahead of a summer appointment.
“The last conversation I had, and this was prior to the last couple of games, was that they had shortlisted a number of potential candidates and that they were going to take their time in speaking to those people,” Dodds said.
“They want to make sure they get the next appointment correct and do not want to rush the decision.
“If they believe they have found the proper candidate tomorrow, they will obviously be in the day after tomorrow. If not, they’ll have to wait. That was the message I received a few weeks ago, and I have not been advised that anything has changed. If something changes, they’ll let me know. We have some important games coming up because we need to change the perception of the football club, and we know that winning football games is the greatest way to do it.”
Dodds hopes that the return of a number of key players for the Easter fixtures, including Luke O’Nien from suspension, will help him. Aji Alese, Corry Evans, and Bradley Dack are all likely to return to the bench, while Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts may also make a comeback depending on how their recovery goes in the next week.
