Even though Alex Neil left the Black Cats to join Stoke City in the summer of 2022, there were rumors that he might return, but it appears the ship may have sailed.
Sunderland has the support to name a “tremendous” manager.
Shaw stated that Cooper would be a great pick to take over as Sunderland’s manager in a Q&A for We Are Sunderland [via Sunderland News]:
“They can’t afford to have another boring appointment after months of preparation. Is there a chance Sunderland may lure Steve Cooper back to the Championship? When it comes to developing new players, he is a shining example, having performed brilliantly at Nottingham Forest. He would make a noteworthy appointment.
Given that he had just started playing in the Premier League and that he had just won the Under-17s World Cup with England in 2017, among other things, Cooper would have seemed like Sunderland’s most impressive and realistic summer hire.In the past, Sam Allardyce has expressed his love for the Welshman by saying the following about him:
One of the few managers who acknowledge that he has too many players is Steve. Taking care of that can cause you to lose focus. It’s a difficult choice in the end, but you want to keep them all engaged, employ them if you can, and see what they have. Steve has handled these problems incredibly well and produced excellent outcomes.”
The largest obstacle for Sunderland would be Cooper’s willingness to move down a tier, preferring to take a position in the Premier League shortly. Nevertheless, the Black Cats are still a significant team, and he might view it as the perfect next step in his career.
In any case, the owners of Sunderland must find a suitable permanent replacement for Beale in order to prevent another botched appointment.
