'I'm wondering...' - Darragh MacAnthony delivers Sunderland relegation verdict amid Coventry City claim
Sunderland are bidding to build on a highly successful 2025/26 campaign.
Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has backed newly promoted Coventry City to emulate Sunderland and avoid relegation from the Premier League this season, while also expressing his doubts about the Black Cats’ own survival prospects over the coming months.
Regis Le Bris’ side exceeded all expectations by finishing seventh in the top flight last term, building their bid to stay up on the back of a proactive and highly successful summer recruitment drive.
And in MacAnthony’s view, it is Frank Lampard’s Coventry - rather than fellow Premier League new boys Ipswich Town and Hull City - who have the best chance of following in Sunderland’s footsteps. Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “I think Coventry will be the one by far... Because of their owner. I think he's going to give [Frank] Lampard the tools. They've already spent £40-50 million. I think he'll give them the tools. I think they'll sign some big players. They'll do a Sunderland.
“I think any of those new sides can look at Sunderland and [Nottingham] Forest basically as the template... If you really want to have a go at staying in the Premier League, you're going to have to spend £100 million on the right players. The recruitment's got to be spot on. £100 million is probably the number. Forest did it a few years ago, still in the Premier League. Sunderland did it last year, top 10. That's what you've got to do. So I think Coventry are the club who will probably do that.”
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MacAnthony then went on to argue that Sunderland themselves could be in danger of succumbing to a relegation battle during the coming campaign, citing “second season syndrome” as a possible pitfall for the Wearside outfit.
Discussing possible candidates for the drop, he said: “I'm wondering about Sunderland's second season syndrome. Keeping him [Granit Xhaka, was important], but then the manager as well. He's obviously a top class manager. How long do you keep him? So all those things are going to kick in. Second season syndrome is a big thing. So it'll be interesting. But I couldn't pick three [to go down] if you asked me to.”