Chris Coleman: Sunderland Name Ex-Wales Boss As Manager

Chris Coleman has been named as boss of struggling Championship side Sunderland after resigning as Wales manager.

The 47-year-old has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal, replacing Simon Grayson, who was sacked at the end of October after only 18 games in charge.

Sunderland, relegated from the Premier League last season, are bottom of the table after just one win in 17 matches.

Welshman Coleman becomes their 10th permanent manager since Roy Keane’s exit in December 2008.

Kit Symons, who worked with Coleman at Wales, will be his assistant at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland’s next match is Tuesday’s trip to Aston Villa in the league (19:45 GMT kick-off).

After Grayson’s departure, Billy McKinlay and Robbie Stockdale took joint caretaker charge of the derby match at Middlesbrough, which they lost 1-0.

McKinlay then left to join former Black Cats boss David Moyes’ backroom staff at West Ham, leaving Stockdale in sole charge of Saturday’s 2-2 home draw with Millwall.

That result meant Sunderland became the first team in English football to fail to win in 20 successive home games in all competitions.

They have three opportunities in December to avoid going the whole of 2017 without a victory at the Stadium of Light.

Source: BBC