So who's ready for a wild ride at Funderland?

 

Ger McCarthy

SUNDERLAND owner Ellis Short’s curt statement confirmed the sacking of Steve Bruce on Wednesday and kicked off a media frenzy as to who will take over the hot seat at the Stadium of Light.

“It is my job as chairman to act in the best interests of our football club at all times and I can assure everyone that this is not a decision I have taken lightly. Sadly results this season have simply not been good enough and I feel the time is right to make a change” commented Short after the removal of Bruce as the first Premier League managerial casualty of the 2011-12 campaign.

Plenty of out-of-work managers are available but the Sunderland hierarchy needs to act quickly as the Black Cats currently languish just two points above the relegation zone having won only once in their last eight Premier League outings.

CONTENDERS

Martin O’Neill

The bookies’ favourite to take over from Steve Bruce was a Sunderland supporter as a child and his coaching credentials are as good as anyone currently plying their trade in the Premier League. The former Wycombe, Norwich City, Leicester City, Celtic and Aston Villa manager has a reputation for moulding successful sides on meagre budgets. Taking Celtic to UEFA Cup final remains O’Neill’s greatest managerial achievement as well as delivering League Cup success whilst in charge of Leicester City.

Mark Hughes

The ex-Fulham and Blackburn Rovers manager has proven his worth on a limited transfer budget before being ousted as Manchester City’s head coach for Roberto Mancini. Hughes surprisingly resigned from his post at Craven Cottage in June 2011, much to the chagrin of owner Mohammed Al-Fayed and is known to be anxious to get back to work as quickly as possible. Sunderland would seem the perfect fit for the former Welsh international manager who would be happy to wheel and deal in an effort to raise funds for a long term stint at the club.

Rafa Benitez

The man who led Liverpool to Champions League glory and Inter Milan to the World Club Cup has been passing the time updating his personal website (www.rafabenitez.com) since losing his job at the San Siro. Benitez’s credentials are hugely impressive with a long and distinguished career coaching in his native Spain at Valencia, Tenerife and Real Valladolid as well as the Real Madrid U19 and B teams. The vacancy at Sunderland is an opportunity to return the English Premier League where Benitez lifted the FA Cup whilst at Anfield and the Spaniard would no doubt relish the chance to rebuild the Black Cats and add to his already impressive CV.

OUTSIDERS

David Moyes

The Scotsman’s success at Everton since taking over at Goodison Park in 2002 must rank amongst the best managerial reigns in the history of the Premier League. In the last decade Moyes has delivered Champions League football and kept Everton competitive despite working on a shoe-string budget and watching a plethora of talent exit the club. Alex Ferguson is reported to have approved Moyes as a potential successor at Old Trafford underlining the former Preston North End manager’s credentials as a top class Coach. Sunderland would have to pay huge compensation to get the Everton manager to move North but David Moyes has nothing left to prove at the Toffee’s which might make a fresh start at a new club appealing to the Scot.

Carlo Ancelotti

‘Carletto’ came to prominence in England after being handed the managerial reins at Stamford Bridge by Billionaire owner Roman Abramovich in June 2009. The former AC Milan star duly delivered a Chelsea League and Cup double in 2010 before being sacked two games from the end of the 2011 campaign having surrendered their title to Manchester United and failing to deliver a Champions League to Abramovich.

Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer

The baby faced assassin of Old Trafford is still a novice when it comes to football management despite being reserve coach at United for a time before leading Molde to the Norwegian Elite League title in his first year in charge in June of this year. Solsjkaer would represent a wild card appointment by Sunderland to say the least but the likeable Norwegian has already shown his credentials as a budding top class manager and would be a cheap (albeit untried) option compared to wage demands of more experienced candidates.

Follow Ger on Twitter: @offcentrecircle

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/PQk7yQa2GRE/post.aspx

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