The powers that be at Sunderland will know the next managerial appointment after Mike Dodds is crucial now, with the new man in the dug-out needing to pick up the pieces to try and steer the Black Cats back into the promotion reckoning in the Championship.
After going through Tony Mowbray and Michael Beale in this disastrous second-tier season, as well as Dodds, the Wearside outfit will just pray that the interim boss' successor is a settled face who can lift the spirits at the Stadium of Light alongside attempting a return up to the Premier League.
One rumoured new manager coming into the building could well end up transforming Sunderland if his current job post in the Championship is anything to go by, with Jack Clarke even potentially staying put after watching what this head coach has managed to get out of the attackers at his disposal elsewhere.
Sunderland's search for a manager
Sunderland have been fishing about for some time now for the perfect replacement to come in after Dodds departs in the summer, with the rumour mill throwing up various different names.
Both Danny Rohl and Paul Heckingbottom have been linked with a switch to Wearside in the off-season, with Sheffield Wednesday hopeful that this is all just speculative talk when it comes to their popular German manager who could pull off an unbelievable relegation escape for the Owls still on the final day of the season.
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The Black Cats could set their sights elsewhere on another second-tier miracle worker, with rumours swirling that Queens Park Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes is being eyed up by Sunderland after turning around the fortunes of the Hoops from relegation favourites to a side who can now beat Leeds United 4-0 with swagger.
The likes of Ilias Chair are loving life under the Spaniard going forward as was seen in that staggering demolition of job of the Whites – scoring once and assisting another two – with Clarke hopeful that Cifuentes could improve his game further if the two link up together at the Stadium of Light next campaign.
Why Cifuentes could be the dream Dodds replacement
Touted to be in the conversation for "manager of the season" by Justin Peach of The Second Tier Podcast, Cifuentes has been a revelation for QPR since coming in last October as an unknown entity from Swedish outfit, Hammarby.
Gareth Ainsworth would win just two of his 15 matches in charge of the Hoops at the start of this season before the left-field face of Cifuentes emerged onto the scene, who has since taken QPR all the way up 17th in the league standings after the club was hopelessly stuck in the bottom three under the ex-Wycombe Wanderers boss.
Manager
Games managed
Wins
Draws
Losses
Ainsworth
15
2
2
11
Cifuentes
32
12
9
11
Cifuentes has also managed to get more of a tune out of the attackers at QPR since coming in, with the aforementioned Chair picking up eight of his 14 goal contributions for the season under the watchful eye of the former Hammarby manager – predominantly operating from Clarke's trusty left-wing area.
Moreover, Lyndon Dykes has become a goalscorer again for the Hoops up top under Cifuentes with all but one of his seven goals for the season coming under Ainsworth's golden replacement.
Operating with a 4-2-3-1 formation over recent months, with a 4-3-3 also in his managerial repertoire, Cifuentes should instantly fit into the new environment at the Stadium of Light with the Black Cats already lining up in the first of those two formations regularly.
Sunderland need a new and fresh revamp in the dugout, and with Cifuentes a hot property in the second tier based off his exploits at QPR, the Wearside outfit should go all in to make him their next manager.
With rumours rife that the aforementioned Clarke – who has 19 goals and assists this season – could be on his way this summer, recruiting such an exciting appointment could well be the solution in tempting the former Leeds United star to stay.
