Sunderland: Who should be next Black Cats boss?

Nigel Pearson

The man that masterminded Leicester’s great escape last season, Nigel Pearson is another underrated manager who’s on this list.

Like Allardyce, he also doesn’t have a club so will be easier to track and pin down, but he doesn’t have anywhere near as much top flight management experience as the likes of Big Sam and Moyes.

However, despite some odd moments in the media, he proved last year that he can rejuvenate a side that looked down and out by playing fast, attacking football.

Would Sunderland want him? Maybe. The Black Cats will take note that he dragged a Leicester side from the jaws of relegation to a mid-table finish after winning seven of the last nine matches. The football was also pretty too. However, with the players Sunderland have at their disposal it is difficult to see them playing a similar style. Additionally, after Pearson ‘ostracised’ himself from the media last term, the Black Cats will not want any extra off pitch issues especially with the memory of Paolo Di Canio’s spell still fresh in the mind.

Would he want it? I expect so. Pearson only parted ways wth Leicester due to an in-hose disagreement with the board. If it was up to him he would still be in charge of the Foxes now and they would probably still be riding high as Claudio Ranieri seems to have just carried on from where Pearson left off. This means he’ll want to get back into the game as soon as possible and, not being what you’d call a fashionable manager, he’d jump at this job of offered it as Premier League roles don’t come around too often.

Would he be the right fit? Maybe. As stated, he has rescued a ‘doomed’ team before, but I don’t see the pace and flexibility in the Sunderland team that Leicester had. Also, when under pressure, Pearson lost it at times in the media last season and that could potentially unsettle his players who need to be onside in such a precarious position. Like Dyche though, he would get his side revved up and would be happy to step into the Championship to continue rebuilding the club if it came to it.

Next……