Salut! Sunderland poll: who should succeed Advocaat (and will he succeed?)



Is Big Sam
a foregone conclusion? Will Ellis Short go for a bolder choice, someone to lead the club forward come what may this season?

Here is your chance to have a say on who should replace Dick Advocaat. The poll allows you to insert your own preference if not in the list.

Feel free to amplify your selection by commenting below (Brendan Rodgers is available, of course, and Jose Mourinho may be soon). The second question in the headline is probably impossible to answer.

Here is an extract from Monsieur Salut’s thoughts at ESPN (see full article at http://www.espnfc.com/club/sunderland/366/blog/post/2647744/dick-advocaat-exit-leaves-dyche-and-allardyce-as-options :


A long way ahead
of Nigel Pearson in the bookies’ calculations, though behind Allardyce and Dyche, is Patrick Vieira, the most intriguing of the names being floated.

Vieira was a tremendous midfielder, especially in his 279 games for Arsenal and 107 for France, and has attracted praise for his work at Manchester City, where he is currently youth team coach.

Great players do not always make good managers, though. It cannot be guaranteed that Vieira’s impeccable experience with Europe’s elite has equipped him for a grim struggle with a club that has known little success in recent times.

Patrick Vieira could be an intriguing appointment at the Stadium of Light.
Certainly, Vieira’s limited experience of management would make such an appointment a gamble unless Short felt willing to give him time to carry out a serious reconstruction operation even in the event of relegation this season. But he would be an exciting choice.

** In case anyone wonders, the 21 votes cast for “others” comprised shortly before noon on Monday nine for Brendan Rodgers, three for David Moyes, two for Nigel Clough and one each for Jurgen Klopp, Harry a Redknapp/Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink partnership, Gary Neville, Paul Hartley, Kevin Phillips and “any miracle worker will do”. Oh, that;s only 20; the other, mysteriously, was for our occasional contributor Bill Taylor.

Jake: 'back to the tulips, Dick'
Jake: ‘back to the tulips, Dick’

24 thoughts on “Salut! Sunderland poll: who should succeed Advocaat (and will he succeed?)”

  1. I wouldn’t mind a punt on Alex Neill – but I can’t think why a bright young manager would leave what appears to be a very well run club that has shown faith in him; to come to a club that is not run at all well and shows no faith in anyone – fans included!!!

    So Big Sam it is!

  2. Oh why. Why why why. Brinsley Schwarz song Why Why Why Why Why. Written by Nick Lowe. And this my friends is the pen… nay the ultimate question. Why are we in this MIre?
    We are here because of Steve Bruce. He can get a team out of the divisions but unless he has a Darren Bent he cannot make a team survive in the premier league. And we tried to change who buys the players.
    I feel if Dick Advocaat had control we would be better off, and he would be happy.
    It has to be Sam Allardyce for me. Yes, I know he has a reputation for playing a negative way, but he also has a reputation for keeping teams up. And we need that right now. Revert to basics, and aim for survival.
    It seems Sean Dyche is not interested. I would hate Harry Redsnapp. So bring on BIG Sam. OMG, we have seen it all in recent years as Sunderland supporters. Let an ex-player take control. And allow him the transfers.

  3. Neville is a TV pundit. TV pundits are normally failed managers a la Shearer, Kamara, Jewell, Curbishley or ex players who’d rather sit on their arses and slag off those actually doing the job a la Neville, Carragher, Le Tissier, Nicholas. Their views are of no consequence whatsoever.

    • Correct. I can’t think of any successful managers [ or even successful ex-managers ] who have transmogrified into football pundits.
      In truth, their comments/opinions have no more insight or validity than the average fan’s.

  4. Big Sam winning ugly for me. Someone mentioned gary Neville above, – I don’t think he’ll come near the place after his comments on SkySports yesterday,

  5. My first choice would be David Moyes if available. If not, I’d settle for Big Sam or sean Dyche.

    All three are well steeped in British football, good organisers, and are strong on discipline. Just what we have been lacking in recent times.

  6. Too much name-dropping, too, as I told the queen just the other day. But I’ll give you another cliche: “Where there’s life, there’s hope.” And we’re not dead yet…

  7. No need to worry! Pour yourself a drink, sit yourself down and enjoy the ride!

    We can all kick back and relax, secure in the knowledge that the combined football acumen of Ellis Short and Margaret Byrne will undoubtedly lead us to sign the most suitable candidate available.

    Once aboard, our new manager can rest assured that Ellis, as is his wont, will shower said manager with untold millions to spend as he sees fit during the transfer window. And Ms Byrne, in addition to heading the board and offering sage advice to Mr Short, will continue to finalize player contracts that work for the long term benefit of the club’s future. As she has always done.

    What could possibly go wrong?

    Oh hell! Who am I kidding? Whoever is the lucky soul appointed Sunderland manager would do well to consider Dante’s old saw:

    ‘Abandon hope, all ye who enter here’.

  8. Safe option? Big Sam. Risky option? Jimmy Floyd H(hopefully Dick left his clogs in the dressing room). Exciting option? Kevin Phillips/Alex Rae combination. Probable option? Someone cheap.

  9. After a year of inactivity I thought Fabio Borini is now showing why he was so highly regarded during his first spell on Wearside. I’m pretty sure that with a couple more games under his belt in the role he played on Saturday he would have buried at least one of the opportunities he had against the Hammers.

    Now I’m not suggesting that one player should influence who becomes the next manager, but after his experiences at Liverpool I wonder how would he react and how would he be used if Brendan Rodgers were to be appointed?

    Also like Pete said in his soapbox, two of our success stories so far, M’Vila and Toivonen are only loan players and I think we can assume Big Dick was part of the reason they agreed to come to the SoL.

    I understand why he decided enough was enough but I’m sad to see Advocaat go. I think he would have turned things around and I’m not sure that a new manager will be able to do much better until the whole structure of the club at board level is reformed.

  10. I don’t think i can get the poll to show the identities of the “others” but they currently include a vote apiece for Nigel Clough, Gary Neville and “Redknapp on the Board and mentor with JFH”, and two for Brendan Rogers. Will keep you informed

  11. Finally bring an experienced football man onto the Board and allow him to also be a mentor to a young and hungry manager/coach. Short is apparently good friends with Redknapp so give him a place on the Board and appoint Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as manager/coach. It’s a setup that may well save us but more importantly, is one we can use to lay proper foundations for the future regardless of the division we’re in.

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