Sunderland may have to keep an eye on a certain League One club in the coming weeks.
Sunderland spent four dark years in League One.
But they’re now back in the Championship and somewhat disappointed with what looks like a 13th place finish in their second year back.
The club is one with lofty ambitions and a degree of expectation too.
Right now though, Sunderland are without a manager.
Mike Dodds is only in interim charge and the club are moving towards a summer appointment, following a tough spell for the divisive Dodds.
Sunderland manager latest
Little has changed over the last few weeks where Sunderland’s next manager is regarded.
The club are still keeping their cards quite close to their chest, though there’s definitely some names of interest.
Sunderland are still interested in Will Still, and also Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl who hinted at possibly leaving the club in the summer.
Paul Heckingbottom is another name linked, with report stating that he’s Sunderland’s no.1 managerial target ahead of the summer.
Sunderland could yet be handed Paul Heckingbottom blow
Heckingbottom is currently out of work.
He left Sheffield United earlier in the season despite guiding them to promotion from the Championship last time round.
And he looks set to return to management at some point in 2024, more than likely with a club in the Football League given his relative lack of experience in the top flight.
The summer could see a lot of changes in dugouts across the country and Heckingbottom’s name will surely be linked to numerous clubs.
Now, one of his former clubs Barnsley is without a manager after sacking Neill Collins this week, despite the Tykes sitting in 5th place of the table.
And that’s got Barnsley fans on social media discussing who their next manager should be, with Heckingbottom’s name being thrown around.
Will Paul Heckingbottom return to Barnsley this summer
Heckingbottom has just left a Premier League club and could well be offered the Sunderland job this summer, so if Barnsley want to stand a chance of luring Heckingbottom back to the club, they’ll surely need promotion at least.
But Heckingbottom is a lifelong Barnsley fan and no doubt lives in the South Yorkshire area having just left Sheffield United, so a return to Barnsley could make sense.
He spent two years at Oakwell between 2016 and 2018.
Heckingbottom won the Football League trophy in 2016 and reached the League One play-offs the same season, overall winning 37 of 105 games in charge (35.24%).
But Heckingbottom, having now managed in the Premier League and given himself a good reputation at Championship level, looks like he could land a job with far bigger ambitions than Barnsley.
Sunderland are that team; they’re something of a sleeping giant with all the facilities of a Premier League team, and a lot of talented younger players coming through as well.
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and co should certainly keep one eye on the latest development at Barnsley, though where Heckingbottom is regarded, the Tykes don’t look like too much of a threat.