Mike Dodds reacts to latest Sunderland head coach update and what it means for his future

Mike Dodds is hopeful that any future change in the club's coaching set up won't impact his long-term future at the club.

Kristjaan Speakman confirmed in a meeting with the Sunderland supporter collective earlier this month that a new head coach will have the freedom to bring in support, 'if appropriate'. Michael Beale arrived without any of his own coaching staff, leading to some concerns from supporters that this could deter some potential future candidates.

The sporting director did add that the club felt it was important to maintain 'consistency and continuity'. Dodds said that he was comfortable with those comments and added that the situation hadn't really changed since Beale's tenure, with the former boss having been expected to strengthen his coaching group at some stage.

"Yeah, I'm more than comfortable with it, that was the case with Mick [Beale] as well," Dodds said.

"There was a conversation with Mick around bringing a member of staff in with him, but he would initially come in by himself. That was always the case with Mick, for whatever reason it just didn't happen. Nothing changed from when I took the team last time and Mick came in. Nothing has changed this time really, in terms of my position at the football club."

Sunderland's search for a new head coach is ongoing, and Dodds at this stage is still expecting to be in charge until the end of the current campaign. The interim head coach added that his focus was fully on Sunderland's hectic upcoming schedule and turning around a poor run of form.

"As far as I'm concerned, the original conversation was take the team until the end of the season, 'if we find an ideal candidate between now and then, we'll let you know'," Dodds said.

"I'm comfortable with whatever the outcome is. My priority is to win games of football. I'm not thinking about who the next head coach is with all due respect to that person. We need a result and we need a result really quickly. The next game and the next three games are going to be really important."