After missing out on Derek McInnes, Sunderland are still looking for a new manager – and Kevin Phillips is among the favourites.
Aberdeen announced on Thursday that Derek McInnes is to remain their manager despite interest from Sunderland, dealing a blow to the Championship club.
With well under a month until their first scheduled pre-season friendly against Bury on July 7, the Black Cats are still without a first team boss and fans are understandably growing frustrated.
However, there is one name among the mooted contenders who could lift the support.
Former Sunderland striking sensation Kevin Phillips is joint-second favourite for the job with SkyBet, at 7/2 as of midday Friday, and his appointment would at least bring the fans back on side.
Phillips enjoyed six sparkling seasons on Wearside, scoring 130 goals – including a 1999-2000 European Golden Shoe-winning tally of 30 – and helping Sunderland to consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League, while forcing his way into the England squad.
While Black Cats fans would have liked to have seen a manager of some pedigree brought in this summer as they look to earn promotion back to the top flight, few would turn down the opportunity to see Phillips back at the Stadium of Light.
Although it ended disastrously – in relegation – rivals Newcastle United similarly brought Alan Shearer back when they were scraping the barrel in terms of managerial options, a move that was positively received by fans.
Phillips, unlike Shearer, has coaching experience, too, after roles with Leicester City and Derby County, and he could quickly become the only viable option.
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