Next Sunderland manager: Mike Dodds provides West Brom team news as Cats search for new boss
and live on Freeview channel 276
Sunderland are preparing for Saturday’s match against West Brom – with interim boss Mike Dodds set to take charge of the side following Tony Mowbray’s sacking.
The Black Cats parted company with Mowbray on Monday as they began their process to look for a new head coach.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdSunderland remain just three points off the play-off places following last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Millwall and face another home game against Leeds three days after the West Brom fixture.
Dodds held a pre-match press conference at the Academy of Light on Friday – here’s what was said:
RECAP: Sunderland manager hunt and press conference updates
How has it been for the players after Mowbray's exit?
"I'll be honest with you, it was a five minute conversation.
"They have been fully professional with the decision. I think it makes it a lot easier this time round that I've been with them for a period of time so there hasn't been a huge amount of change.
"The message has been we have a really important game against a really good team."
How are you feeling about being back in the hot seat?
"A lot more relaxed than I was last time.
"Completely fine. The group have been excellent as you would expect, they are a good group.
"We are fully prepared, everything is done now. Today couldn't have gone any better than planned."
In terms of this weekend's game, Sunderland still have several first-team players unavailable.
Nazariy Rusyn has missed the side's last two matches with a groin issue, while Jenson Seelt wasn;t named in the squad at Millwall due to illness.
Dennis Cirkin remains sidelined with a knee injury, while Aji Alese, Corry Evans, Jay Matete and Timothee Pembelee are recovering from long-term setbacks.
We should get an update later today.
Manager hunt latest
We'll start with the latest on Sunderland's search for a new head coach.
Nice assistant Julian Sable (below) remains the bookmakers favourite and is priced at 6/4 with SkyBet to get the job.
Kim Hellberg, who manages Swedish club IFK Varnamo, is the second favourite at 3/1, with reports in Sweden claiming the 35-year-old was interviewed by Sunderland yesterday.
Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher has said he's flattered to be linked with the Black Cats job but says he's not aware of any approach, while Reims boss Will Still has been strongly linked with the vacancy.
Good Morning!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Sunderland's pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's match against West Brom.
The Black Cats are still searching for a new head coach after sacking Tony Mowbray, with interim boss Mike Dodds set to take charge of the side.
Dodds is set to attend today's press conference at 1pm - and we'll have live updates from the Academy of Light.
Stick around and refresh the page for live updates and the latest SAFC news.