Former AZ Alkmaar boss Pascal Jansen “is no longer in the running” to become the next Sunderland manager, according to local journalist James Copley.
The Black Cats have been without a manager since the sacking of Michael Beale in February, and the search for his permanent replacement has now gone on for over 100 days.
Mike Dodds took charge on an interim basis until the end of the season after Beale’s exit, but he struggled to make an impact, and the Wearsiders finished 16th in the table, just six points above the relegation zone.
A host of names have been linked with the Sunderland job in recent months, but a number of targets, including the likes of Danny Rohl and Bo Svensson, are now unavailable, while former Reims boss Will Still rejected the job due to concerns over the level of backing he would receive and the makeup of his backroom staff, and he is now set to remain in France with Lens.
Journalist Alan Nixon claimed earlier this week that Stockport County manager Dave Challinor and St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson were both on the Black Cats’ shortlist, along with Jansen.
The Northern Echo then reported that neither Challinor or Robinson were under consideration, and it now seems that Jansen is also out of the race.
Jansen has been out of work since leaving AZ in January, but he enjoyed a successful three-year spell in charge of the Dutch outfit after taking over in December 2020.
AZ recorded a third-placed finish under Jansen’s guidance in the 2020-21 season, earning them a place in the Europa League, before they finished fifth and fourth respectively over the next two seasons, qualifying for the Europa Conference League on both occasions.
Jansen is said to have held talks with the Sunderland hierarchy, but he is no longer in contention to take over at the Stadium of Light, and the club are now “pushing on with other names on their shortlist”.
Sunderland manager search latest
It has been a difficult managerial search for Sunderland that has been going on for almost four months, but owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus released a statement on Friday reassuring supporters that an appointment is close.
“We hope to appoint the next Head Coach of our great Club imminently, as we enter the final stages of the recruitment process,” Louis-Dreyfus said on the club’s official website.
“We appreciate the patience and support that we’ve received from you throughout the summer and our aim has always been to ensure that the right candidate is appointed. That outcome remains our focus.
“On and off the field, we have learnt from last season when we fell short of all our expectations. We are hungry and ambitious for success and determined to ensure we all enjoy a great 2024-25 season together.”
With Jansen now out of the running, Bayern Munich Under-19s manager Rene Maric, QPR boss Marti Cifuentes and former Hull City head coach Liam Rosenior are all potential options for the Black Cats, according to The Northern Echo.
Maric has been in charge of Bayern’s Under-19s since February, and he has previously had coaching roles at RB Salzburg, Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and Leeds United, but it remains to be seen whether Sunderland could convince the 31-year-old to make the move to Wearside, with Bayern believed to be “confident” that he will agree to become part of new manager Vincent Kompany’s coaching staff.
Cifuentes inherited a QPR side sitting in the relegation zone when he arrived in October, but he did an outstanding job to lead the R’s to an 18th-placed finish, and while he has “supporters within the executive team at the Stadium of Light”, compensation could be a problem for the Black Cats, and he has also been linked with Burnley.
Rosenior is available after he was surprisingly sacked by Hull City last month, despite leading them to a seventh-placed finish this season, with owner Acun Ilicali revealing that the 39-year-old’s style of play was the reason for his dismissal.
Pascal Jansen development will be frustrating for Sunderland supporters
Sunderland’s lengthy managerial search is undoubtedly concerning, and the news that Jansen is no longer in the frame will be disappointing for Black Cats supporters.
Jansen’s record during his time at AZ was impressive, and he has also managed in the Europa League and Europa Conference League, so he was an exciting candidate.
The fact that Sunderland are closing in on an appointment is encouraging, but having failed to land many of their top targets, it does seem that the club are now going further down their list.
Cifuentes and Rosenior are both believed to be under consideration, and given the excellent job the pair did with QPR and Hull respectively this season, they would both be good appointments for the Black Cats, and Louis-Dreyfus must make a decision soon to finally bring the uncertainty at the club to an end.
