Sunderland’s prospective new owner Stewart Donald needs a manager before the League One season after giving Chris Coleman the boot.
A new era is set to begin at Sunderland, and they need one too.
After trying desperately to flog the cash-strapped Wearsiders for as long as living memory will allow, the despised US owner Ellis Short looks to have finally found a man willing to take the club off his hands in Eastleigh chairman Stewart Donald.
And, with Chris Coleman sacked, Chris Wilder was installed as the early second favourite to replace the former Wales boss at the Stadium of Light by Sky Bet.
This is more than likely due to the fact that Wilder is a former manager of Oxford United, the club Donald supports and has previously invested in. But still, the prospect of Wilder leaving his boyhood team Sheffield United for a side heading into League One and in need of a full rebuild seems unlikely.
But Michael Appleton could be a more likely appointment.
The 42-year-old, who is currently working as Leicester City’s number two, has also managed the Kassam Stadium. He spent three years at Oxford, guiding them into League One in 2015 via automatic promotion from the fourth tier and twice reached the Football League Trophy final at Wembley.
Appleton, like Wilder, has a detailed knowledge of the lower leagues and the fact he is the 6/1 third favourite with Sky Bet is no surprise.
Appleton is the sort of man who could appeal to Sunderland and Donald as the rebuilding process starts this summer.
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