Beale successor: Sunderland boosted as 4-2-3-1 manager could leave his club

Beale successor: Sunderland boosted as 4-2-3-1 manager could leave his club

Sunderland are looking for a new manager after the sacking of Michael Beale and have seemingly been boosted in their quest to hire a potential front-runner.

Michael Beale sacked as Sunderland manager

Beale has lasted no time at all in the Stadium of Light hot seat, with the 43-year-old officially relieved of his duties as manager on Monday, following such a disappointing spell in charge. In fact, Beale’s time at Sunderland lasted just 12 games, having only arrived back in December, with Saturday’s 2-1 defeat away to Birmingham City under Tony Mowbray proving to be the final straw.

It is a big decision by those high up at the Black Cats, who had the option of keeping the Englishman on and hoping that he would turn things around over time, but they clearly felt it was time for change, even after such a short period.

The hunt is now on to find an ideal successor to Beale, with Sunderland still harbouring some hopes of finishing in the Championship playoffs this season, only sitting four points adrift of sixth place currently. While no concrete candidate appears to have emerged yet, a former target could once again be in the running after a fresh update.

Sunderland given Will Still boost

According to L’Equipe [via Sport Witness], former Sunderland managerial option Will Still could leave Reims, giving them hope of snapping him up as Beale’s replacement. The report actually names Still as the likely favourite.

The 31-year-old is believed to be experiencing a period of “turbulence” at his current club, and he has a “release clause” in place “superior to €5m” (£4m+) that would allow him to leave Reims at the end of the season.

Still feels like such an exciting option for Sunderland, considering how young he is, and the job that he has done at Reims overall, starting his time there with a 14-game unbeaten run.

Intriguingly, he is still looking to get his UEFA Continental Pro Licence, spending time with Brentford last week in order to study for it, but he represents a vibrant option with fresh ideas. Still likes to go with a 4-2-3-1 formation, which was often the case with Beale, so Sunderland’s players wouldn’t find it too difficult to adapt to his demands. He has also been lauded by Nice manager Francesco Farioli, who has said of him:

“It will be the first time I’ve come up against a manager younger than myself! He is a manager who already has a lot of experience and he has now been there for a while (hired 13th October 2022). He has been able to work and construct, notably during the summer transfer window by bringing in profiles that correspond with his style. It is a team built with a vision. He is a manager who knows what he wants and he is continuing to do good work. Congratulations to him.”

It remains to be seen if Still, who Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe lauded as “incredible”, leaves Reims in the near future, and while there could be an element of risk with him, given his age and lack of experience in English football, he could be an eye-catching choice by Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.