Simon Grayson offers revealing insight into the problems at Sunderland and what needs to change

Grayson left Preston North End to replace David Moyes in the summer but only lasted 15 games - with Sunderland in the bottom three after a dismal start to the Championship campaign.

He was replaced by Chris Coleman but Sunderland are still struggling at the wrong end of the table.

Grayson said: "It’s still an attraction as a big football club, hence why I left a good stable job at Preston and why Chris has gone there after what he achieved at Wales.

"He hopes that he can be the one who will turn it around. There’s been some big managers gone there and haven’t made it a success for whatever reasons.

"I think the problems are quite deep-rooted and there probably needs to be a change in ownership because there is no money to reinvest in the squad.

"There is a few players there who don’t want to be there but nobody else wants them because they’re on too big a wage and or they’ve not got the quality that is required.

"So there are a lot of problems but it is still an attractive prospect - which is why Chris went to the football club in the first place."

Sunderland are desperate to sign new strikers this window with Coleman currently relying on Josh Maja and Joel Asoro.

Grayson added: "I’m sure Chris realises he needs to bring some strikers in. I’m sure he will do, but it’s difficult when you’ve got no money to spend.

"They’re going through the academy players to give them something because that’s all they’ve got at this time," he told Sky Sports.

* Sunderland Under-23s have been drawn away to Dunston UTS in the quarter-finals of the Durham County Challenge Cup. SAFC booked their place in the last eight after edging past Stockton Town with a 4-1 victory. Sunderland will face Dunston UTS on Wednesday, January 31 (KO 7.30pm) at the UTS Stadium.