Michael Beale has disclosed his goals for Sunderland by the end of the season. The decision to dismiss Tony Mowbray as the manager of Sunderland raised eyebrows over two weeks ago.
The 60-year-old Tony Mowbray enjoyed a largely successful 17-month tenure at the club, guiding them to the play-offs last season and keeping them in contention for a top-six spot this season. Despite this, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus opted to remove the veteran manager, expressing a desire to take the club in a different direction by appointing a young manager with fresh ideas.
Although talented coaches Will Still and Kim Hellberg were considered, Louis-Dreyfus has placed his trust in Michael Beale, despite Beale’s recent challenging stint at Rangers. Beale was dismissed from his managerial role in October after a disappointing 10-month period in charge. Nonetheless, the opportunity to manage Sunderland was one that Beale eagerly embraced.
Taking charge of a remarkably skilled squad at the Stadium of Light, Beale inherits a team in a promising league position, with only three points separating them from a spot in the top six.
Michael Beale outlines his targets at Sunderland this season
After stepping into the role and building upon the foundations laid by Mowbray, Beale emphasizes that he won’t implement “radical changes” in the short term. However, he is fully aware of the targets he needs to achieve. At 43 years old, Beale sees his primary responsibility as keeping Sunderland in contention for the top six, with the ultimate goal of securing promotion to the Premier League at the end of the season.
In an interview with the Sunderland Echo, Beale expressed his commitment to the club’s vision and processes, which he believes are crucial for reaching the shared objective of returning to the Premier League. He acknowledges the importance of meeting fan expectations, highlighting the supporters as a driving force for the club. Beale emphasizes that every player in the dressing room shares the aspiration to reach the Premier League, particularly considering the youthful composition of the squad and the perceived potential of the players.
Can Beale lead Sunderland into the play-offs?
Given his recent struggles at Rangers, it’s challenging for supporters to feel enthused about this appointment. However, Michael Beale has spoken positively since taking on the role, and the real test lies in translating those words into on-field results.
Sunderland faces significant challenges in three of their next five fixtures against Hull City, Preston North End, and Ipswich Town—teams contending for playoff spots or automatic promotion. These matches, potentially season-defining, will serve as a litmus test for Beale and his players.
A pivotal factor in achieving positive outcomes in these crucial fixtures could be getting Jack Clarke back to peak performance. While Clarke has scored ten Championship goals this season, only one of those came in his last eight matches. Acknowledged as one of the best players in the division on his best days, Clarke’s exceptional abilities could be instrumental in Sunderland’s pursuit of a top-six finish.
Leave a Reply