Sam Allardyce Named New Sunderland Manager

Sam Allardyce has been named the new manager at Sunderland, filling the club's vacant managerial position after the departure of Dick Advocaat. 

The team announced the signing on Friday:

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Speaking about the appointment, chairman Ellis Short said: “I am very pleased to welcome Sam to our football club.

“Sunderland is a club he knows well and he was the obvious best choice for the job. He has vast experience of managing in the Premier League and an understanding first-hand of the north east and the passion of our fans, which will stand him in great stead.

“I would like to assure our fans that once Dick made us aware of his intention to leave, Lee Congerton oversaw an organised and structured recruitment process, that bore very little resemblance to what has been described in the media.

“For example, this was a very popular job, proactively sought after by a large number of managers - contrary to much of what has been portrayed. The process was made easier by the fact that Sam was such an obvious choice.

“The other misconception is that Sam had to be persuaded to join us; nothing could be further from the truth. From the very beginning, he understood the importance of this job and showed great enthusiasm for the role and a desire to be part of moving this club forward.”

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The club are 19th in the Premier League table—five points away from safety—and their minus-10 goal difference is only one better than last-placed Newcastle United. The team looks lifeless on the pitch, and the ownership appears devoid of a long-term vision, as Allardyce is its seventh full-time manager since Roy Keane resigned in December 2008.

Advocaat saved the club from relegation after taking over in March last season, but Allardyce faces an uphill struggle to replicate that luck.