Sunderland are rock bottom of the Championship and Jermaine Jenas feels that relegation wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Jermaine Jenas has told BBC Radio 5 Live that relegation could be a blessing in disguise for Sunderland this season.
The Black Cats sit rock bottom of the Championship following a horrendous start to life in England’s second tier, following their demotion from the Premier League last season.
Sunderland, who have won one Championship game, are without a win in their last 15 league matches and Chris Coleman has been drafted in to turn things around after Simon Grayson – who replaced David Moyes in the summer – clearly failed to make his mark at the Stadium of Light.
They are four points adrift of safety with 29 games to go, but Jenas believes that dropping down into League One might just be the best thing to happen to Sunderland, claiming it would cause the wagebill to plummet and open up the door for Coleman to start using academy talent.
“I think they’re sitting rock bottom of the Championship at the minute – a tough, tough league as well all know, and weirdly enough I think it could be the best thing for them,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Get relegated and get rid of the players that are in there on probably £30-40,000 per week that aren’t performing, hopefully promote some from within the academy, get some real home blood in there, and also use some of Chris’ contacts that he’s developed over the international period to start building a team and creating Sunderland again.”
It is inevitable to bring up Jenas’s Newcastle United connection, but does the former midfielder have a point?
Sunderland fans, and indeed the club’s board, are unlikely to agree.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
