Sunderland AFC has appointed assistant manager Mike Dodds as the Club’s interim Head Coach until the end of the season…

Following a brief nine-week tenure, Michael Beale has officially left his position as the manager of Sunderland.

As the club contemplates a permanent appointment for the long-term, Mike Dodds, the assistant manager, will assume control until the end of the season.

Sunderland AFC has announced the appointment of Mike Dodds as the interim Head Coach for the Club. Dodds will be leading the first team until the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, taking over from Michael Beale who has left the Stadium of Light with immediate effect.

Having been a part of the Club’s coaching team since August 2021, Dodds assumed the role of guiding the Black Cats earlier in the current campaign. Under his leadership, the team achieved consecutive victories in the Sky Bet Championship.

Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman expressed his disappointment regarding Michael’s departure from Sunderland AFC. The club’s main objective is to progress, but unfortunately, there hasn’t been any noticeable improvement.

Therefore, we take full responsibility and believe that taking decisive action is in the best interest of the club. Michael has faced challenging months, and we wish him the best for his future endeavors.

Our current focus is on the players and providing support to Mike Dodds in order to secure the highest possible league position. We will keep our supporters informed of any significant updates.

Dodds will now be leading the team for the remaining 13 games of the season, as Sunderland aims to secure a top-six finish before the season ends.

Sunderland’s commitment to progress was evident when Speakman pledged to construct a competitive team capable of challenging at the top of the league. “We aim to field a team that can contend at the league’s summit,” he stated at the conclusion of the previous season.

Simply reaching the play-offs is not enough for anyone – although it is a commendable feat in the first year back, we must continue to achieve success and strive for improvement.

Currently, the Black Cats are trailing by four points from the promotion spots as they enter the final stretch of the season.