Five Potential Sunderland Appointments

Five possible managers to replace Dick Advocaat

Sunderland parted company with manager Dick Advocaat on Sunday following a poor start to the season, and are now on the search for a new man to take charge at the helm. 

It is thought that Sunderland want a manager in charge of their fixture with West Bromwich Albion after the international break.

SillySeason will take a look at who could take over the strugglers,  so here are five names who could be in the frame for the Black Cats managerial role.

Sam Allardyce

Currently out of work after leaving West Ham United in the summer, Sam Allardyce will be keen to get back into club management, and the Sunderland board could do worse than hire the 60-year-old to replace Advocaat.

Having spent a prolonged spell in the upper reaches of the English football pyramid with Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and most recently, West Ham United, Allardyce is currently the bookies favourite to take over the reins.

The Dudley-native is an expert in keeping teams in the top-flight, so he could be just the man that can reignite Sunderland’s season.

Sean Dyche

Burnley manager Dyche is also another potential candidate who could take over the vacant post at the Stadium of Light.

The 44-year-old has worked wonders with the Clarets, helping them to promotion to the Premier League in May 2014 – only for the East Lancashire club to be relegated back to the Championship last term.

Regarded as one of the rightest young  managers currently around, Dyche has guided Burnley to the play-off places in the early weeks of the season – so could Sunderland move for ‘the ginger Mourinho?

Nigel Pearson

Pearson, like Allardyce, is also currently out of work, following his sacking as Leicester City manager at the end of last season.

Despite leading them to a brilliant survival in the final weeks of the 2014/15 term, the Foxes parted with the controversial character, with Sunderland a likely route back into club management.

Alongside Big Sam, the 52-year-old is a leading candidate for the job at Sunderland.

David Moyes

Further afield, Sunderland are also considering prizing David Moyes away from his current Spanish adventure with La Liga side, Real Sociedad.

Moyes is not top of Sunderland’s wishlist, with the club yet to win a league game this season.

The former Everton and Manchester United manager is currently embroiled in a relegation scrap with Sociedad, who sit above the relegation places on goal-difference.

Patrick Viera

Viera could be seen as an outside choice for his first senior managerial post within professional football.

A tough-tackling French international in his playing days, Viera had a prolonged career in the game, most notably in England with Arsenal and Manchester City – is currently in charge of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad.

Whilst at City, he has oversaw the development of the future of the Sky Blues, but could Sunderland be the step up for the former footballing great.