Next Sunderland manager: Cats legend delivers verdict on head coach search and striker issue

Sunderland legend Gary Bennett says the team probably overachieved last season but still believes they could have reached the play-offs if they had a reliable striker.

After finishing sixth last term, the Black Cats looked set to challenge for a top-six place again but have fallen away significantly in recent months. A 1-0 defeat against Watford last time out means Sunderland have won just two of their last 14 league games ahead of this weekend’s game against Sheffield Wednesday - their final fixture of the season.

“Maybe last season they overachieved but then you look at this season, I think if you had a striker I think we could have made the play-offs,” Bennett told the Echo when asked about Sunderland’s 2023/24 campaign. It comes after the Black Cats signed four young strikers during last summer’s transfer window, yet none of them have looked ready to make a significant impact at Championship level.

After parting company with Tony Mowbray and Michael Beale, Sunderland named Mike Dodds as their interim head coach in February. The club are now looking to make a permanent appointment this summer, after time to assess their options, with the hope they can challenge for a top-six place next term.

“At the end of the day whoever comes in is someone who needs to get results,” said Bennett when discussing Sunderland’s head coach decision. “As long as he gets results then everybody is going to be happy. You can’t say such and such a coach is going to come in and guarantee you wins.

“You want a coach to come in, get a team together, hopefully play attractive football, but the most important thing is getting points on the board. As long as you get points you are happy.

“There is no such thing as you are identifying one coach who is going to come in and do the business. After three, four, five games whatever, if he’s not going to get results you know what’s going to happen, the supporters will be unhappy. That is football, it’s about results.“