Aitor Karanka is reportedly unsure regarding whether he wants to take the Sunderland job.
Sunderland are still searching for their new manager, having parted company with Simon Grayson less than 20 minutes after the final whistle at the end of their 3-3 draw at home to Bolton last month.
Karanka is a name who has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the post, but The Sun on Sunday (print edition; 12th October 2017; page 61) reports that the Spaniard is hesitant about taking the job at the Stadium of Light due to Ellis Short’s plans.
However, The Sun on Sunday adds that Ally McCoist – who endured an underwhelming spell at the club as a player – is more interested at the moment, having asked for advice from those close to him regarding taking the position.
It is arguably no surprise that Karanka appears to be unconvinced about taking the job given Sunderland’s current position in the Championship table.
The Black Cats are bottom having won just one of their opening 16 games, and that comes just a few months after they were relegated from the Premier League – so most managers would be forgiven for having major doubts about taking the job.
If Sunderland did manage to appoint Karanka, it would arguably be a great move from the club as the 44-year-old knows what it takes to get a team promoted out of the second tier, having taken over at Middlesbrough when they were languishing just inside the bottom half and taking them up a couple of years later.
But it remains to be seen if Karanka feels that Sunderland have the potential to emulate what Boro did during his time there. Unfortunately, their start to the season suggests that simply staying up would be a fantastic achievement.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
