The odds of experienced defender John O’Shea being fast-tracked into management have been slashed with Sunderland crying out for a coach.
In the eyes of many Sunderland fans, the fact that John O’Shea is still in the side at the age of 36 sums up the desperate state this proud old club finds itself in.
The former Manchester United defender has been well past his best for as long as living memory will allow – but Sunderland’s inability to afford anything like an upgrade in the transfer market means O’Shea remains an important member of the first-team squad.
If this was worrying enough, Sunderland will hardly be enthused by reports in The Chronicle that the bookies have slashed the odds on O’Shea being promoted from the playing staff to the vacant managerial position.
Sunderland sacked Simon Grayson on Tuesday after a 3-3 draw with Bolton left the club stuck in the relegation zone with just one win in 15 league games. With debts spiralling and a budget almost non-existant, however, The Black Cats simply can’t afford the compensation to get a good manager out of his current job.
Therefore, it appears certain that either an out-of-work coach or a ‘name’ appointment with next to no managerial experience will be handed one of the most difficult, pressuring jobs in English football right now.
O’Shea has expressed an interest in a career in management and received his UEFA A Licence in October. Yet, asking a man who has never taken charge of a club from the dugout to rescue a team in real dire straits would only amplify the very real fears of successive relegations.
It appears that Sunderland need an experienced manager, one who knows the division and how to rally a squad. Then again, that’s what Sunderland thought they were getting with Grayson.
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