Next Manager Rumours and Candidates

Dwight needs to get the message - he isn’t getting a managerial job at SAFC

that’s more or less what Keano said in a recent interview.

No thanks Jermain, don't want an untried, inexperienced manager to cut his teeth with us, but he would be ideal to Dryfus, available and cheap 😀

Northern Echo

Jermain Defoe on Sunderland love, Newcastle goal & Michael Beale talks

"OH MY god," says Jermain Defoe - and with that he's off, regaling the tale of the "best goal I've ever scored".

It just so happens that the anniversary was this week. Yesterday, in fact. Nine years ago, the dying seconds of the first half of the 140th Wear-Tyne derby, Costel Pantilimon's long-ball, Steven Fletcher's header and a Defoe thunderbolt that will undoubtedly continue to stand the test of time when it comes to the great Stadium of Light moments.

"I was going to take a touch and the only reason I hit it first time was because I was so tired," recalls the striker, speaking to The Northern Echo at the launch of the Jermain Defoe Academy at East Durham College.

"We played 4-3-3 under Dick Advocaat and I played left off Fletch but because of the importance of the game, I was doing more running than I normally do, I was running around everywhere because I wanted to win so bad – just unnecessary running.

"It was a goal-kick and Fletch just flicked it and I remember just watching it and thought ‘I’m just going to hit it because I’m knackered’ but as I’ve made contact and it was one of those where when you make contact you know, I just thought ‘oh my god,’ it was that perfect contact. It hit the top corner and I couldn’t believe it."

Neither could Tim Krul - who told Defoe as much in the tunnel as the players made their way off for half-time moments later.

"After the game, Newcastle fans were hammering him because they were losing 1-0 and he’s put his arm around me," says Defoe.

"To be fair to him, he just said ‘you’ve done me there."

The emotions were very different for Defoe and Sunderland in January when Newcastle coasted to victory on Wearside. Defoe was there that day as a supporter but watching through the eyes of a manager. That's how he takes games in now - at least it is when he's sat in the stands. What he would do differently? How would his team set-up and look and play if he was in the dugout?

"This is how I watch games," he says.

"I’m not going to say what I would have done differently in that (Sunderland vs Newcastle) game because I’m never going to disrespect someone like Mick Beale, who is someone who has helped me so much in the short-term. But I think every manager and every fan does it."

Defoe won't have a bad word said about Beale, who was his coach and became a friend at Rangers - but why didn't it work out for him at Sunderland?

"I loved Mick at Rangers," he says.

"You talk about detail and for me, even at the back end of my career, I learned a lot from him. You go into an environment and think you know the game but I spent a lot of time sitting with Mick. It was around lockdown and we’d have voice notes that were five minutes long about football and his journey, coaching young players and what you need to do, stuff that you don’t think about as a player.

"I’ve always thought that if you put on a session that you just stand there and coach, but even little things like your position. When I started I would go onto the pitch and stand in the number nine position because that’s what I’m used to. Mick told me to change my position so you can see everything."

Did Beale reach out to Defoe before and during his time in charge of Sunderland?

"Yeah, because he wanted to do well," he says.

"He spoke about the club, the expectation, the demand from the fans, everything. He was so desperate to do well and he’s a confident guy. He’s coached for 20-odd years. He told me at Rangers that I could be a manager now, and that if he was my assistant, he said ‘you just tell me how you want to play and I’ll deliver it’.

"I know if I get a job that I will need experience around me. People like Paul Bracewell, who have been around the club and coached. These kinds of people will help."

Will Still was offered the job last week, so the ball's in his court, and everything else is irrelevant until he decides one way of another

Which suggests that he has options, Les 😏