Martin O’Neill Frontrunner For Sunderland Job

After sacking Steve Bruce, who had been with the team since 2009, Sunderland find themselves in need of a new manager. Their number one choice for the position, apparently, is former Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill, who could well be in place by this weekend if the club have their way. O'Neill, who hasn't managed since he left Villa shortly before the start of last season, has demonstrated that he can take a mid-table side into steady contention for the Europa League spots, which is the next big step up for Sunderland.

With the Guardian saying that the Black Cats are pushing all of their energy into securing O'Neill's signature, there doesn't appear to be room in the picture for Mark Hughes, who's been out of work ever since he stepped down as Fulham manager last summer. Although Hughes in many ways might have been a more sensible candidate for the job than O'Neill, he's been relegated to a clear second choice. Either way, however, Sunderland will have upgraded to a manager very capable of taking them to Europe. We'll just have to see what happens.