New Sunderland boss Michael Beale already under pressure ahead of Stoke City clash
News from across the Championship as Stoke City prepare for trip to the Stadium of Ligh
Michael Beale, appointed as Sunderland head coach 24 hours before Steven Schumacher was unveiled at Stoke City, is already facing calls for his head at the Stadium of Light.
It does not seem to bode well for a manager that Sunderland podcast Wise Men Say was even prepared to run a poll asking if Beale should be sacked. It definitely does not bode well for a manager that 91 per cent of 3,694 votes cast said yes. There were anti-Beale chants during the match as Sunderland lost 1-0 at home to Hull last Friday.
It was a difficult gig to replace popular Tony Mowbray, even if there was a growing section of the fan base who thought he had run his course. Still, Sunderland were three points off the play-offs when Mowbray was given the shove in early December and, nine games later, the gap remains the same even if the team has dropped one place to 10th in the Championship.
READ MORE: Stoke City transfer state of play as Steven Schumacher admits January difficulty
They were dumped out of the FA Cup by Newcastle United, however, “rode their luck” in a Boxing Day win at Hull and the Sunderland Echo suggests they have “regressed on the pitch”.
The Echo admits that a sacking, at this stage so soon in his tenure, does not appear likely but add: “Beale faces a huge couple of weeks in his Sunderland tenure. The Black Cats play Stoke City at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, with a chance for the boss to claw back some credibility, a convincing performance and result are a must for starters. Sunderland fans will, of course, always back the team but will need to see a marked improvement from recent offerings.
“Sunderland then play Middlesbrough at the Riverside eight days later. Although not on the same level as the Wear-Tyne derby, a match against the Teessiders does bring with it some added importance. If Steven Schumacher and Michael Carrick – two highly rated young coaches performing well – both manage to one-up Beale with convincing tactical displays then Louis-Dreyfus and Speakman may be faced with a decision to make.
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