Having built reputation with Wales is Coleman to Sunderland career suicide?

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Chris Coleman has emerged as the favourite to take charge at Sunderland but having built such a good reputation with Wales, is it too big a risk?

Wales manager Chris Coleman looks on during the International match against Panama.

Chris Coleman has emerged as the 1/5 clear favourite with Skybet to be appointed the next Sunderland manager following the sacking of Simon Grayson.

Coleman’s future as Wales boss is in doubt with his contract up at the end of November and the nation’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Wales manager Chris Coleman looks on before the International match against Panama.

The Daily Mail reports that the 47 year old is interested in taking the vacant position at the Stadium of Light and is now the preferred choice among the hierarchy at the North East club to succeed Grayson.

It would be understandable why Coleman would want to return to club management after six years on the international stage, but should recent history at the Black Cats be a warning sign?

Having guided the Welsh to their first tournament since 1958 at Euro 2016, and then a surprise semi-final finish, the former Fulham chief’s stock is at an all-time high – despite their failure to reach next summer’s competition in Russia.

However, Grayson was in a similar position when he was named as the new number one at Sunderland over the summer, having achieved against the odds in the Championship with Preston North End. Eighteen games later and he had been sacked, a reputation that had taken so long to build quickly tarnished.

Simon Grayson looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Brentford and Sunderland at Griffin Park.

Before Grayson it was David Moyes, whose own reputation had admittedly slipped from the high of when the Scot was in charge of Everton, but it was still only three years prior that he was considered the man to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Moyes was sacked when the club finished rock bottom of the Premier League and although the 54 year old has since been hired at West Ham United, a six-month contract suggests there is a certain amount of faith lacking.

Neither manager is completely blameless in their dismissals, but there is also a sense that the problems on Wearside are much bigger than who is in the dugout. For Coleman, it could end up being a similar story and the goodwill he has built up with Wales could be gone in a flash if it all goes wrong.