Sunderland have appointed Michael Beale as their new manager, replacing Ipswich Town legend Tony Mowbray.
Mowbray was sacked after a run of one win in five games, which consisted of defeats to both Plymouth Argyle and Huddersfield Town. His final match was a 1-1 draw against Millwall at The Den, and he was removed from his position less than 48 hours after.
Reims boss Will Still was the leading candidate in the immediate aftermath, with other young left-field options listed ahead of the likes of Paul Heckingbottom and Steven Schumacher, but the Black Cats ultimately ended up moving for Beale.
The 43-year-old had stints at Chelsea, Liverpool and Brazilian side Sao Paulo before joining up with Steven Gerrard at Rangers. He followed the former England international to Aston Villa before joining QPR in June 2022 – his first senior management role.
Despite guiding the R’s to a superb start in the Championship last season, a return to Ibrox proved to be too tempting. He made the switch at the end of November, but he lasted less than a year in charge of the Scottish Premiership outfit before being sacked.
It allowed Sunderland to swoop in and acquire his services, although many supporters have been left frustrated by the appointment due to his underwhelming stint in Glasgow.
Chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus said: “Throughout our discussions, it was clear that he shares our ideals on implementing a high-performance culture and he is committed to a playing style that we feel is central to our progress.”
Beale will take charge of Sunderland for the first time on Saturday afternoon as they host Coventry City at the Stadium of Life.
They’re set face Ipswich at Portman Road on January 13th, 2024 (5:30pm), with the match selected for Sky Sports coverage.
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