Don Goodman: 'Michael Beale took away what we loved about Sunderland, but he's not to blame'
Sky Sports EFL expert Don Goodman says Michael Beale ‘took away what we loved about Sunderland,’ but it’s the Kristjaan Speakman and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus who are responsible.
Beale replaced Tony Mowbray in December, but he was never a popular appointment with supporters and his attempts to make Sunderland more pragmatic saw the quality of football nosedive almost immediately.
That probably would have been accepted had results improved, but they never did and Beale was sacked after just 12 games.
Interim boss Mike Dodds has since lost three games in a row, essentially ending Sunderland’s play-offs chances, and Goodman says the buck has to stop with the decision-makers at the club.
Speaking to King Casino Bonus, former Black Cats striker Goodman said: “Sunderland's board have pretty much said 'We've messed up so badly that we have blown our play-off chances.' It's an acknowledgement of their mistake and putting Mike Dodds in charge is an attempt to stabilise.
“I think they are out of the relegation battle, despite never thinking I would say that, but Sunderland are out of the play-off race. They are a young group that needs some help from experience, which is what Tony Mowbray was being refused.
“It wouldn't be fair to say Sunderland have capitulated but it's the type of games they have lost in this sequence which is disappointing. They were on the periphery of the play-off spots and lost to Birmingham, Huddersfield and Swansea.
“Even if you're the most stubborn member of Sunderland's hierarchy, you have to reflect and say 'We made a mistake, we should have stuck with Tony Mowbray.' Who knows where they would have been in the summer, there was a feel-good factor around the place.
“The minute Tony gets sacked, that feel-good factor disappears and all of a sudden Michael Beale is under pressure after coming in because the fans don't want him. Fan power is absolutely massive.
“This is a young group of players with barely any senior ones to help guide them through choppy waters. It's very hard as a young player to hear your own fans boo you off the pitch and listen to them voice their displeasure at the new head coach. I'm really not surprised that Sunderland have gone backwards since Tony Mowbray left.
“Michael Beale tried to make Sunderland more solid and difficult to play against but took away what we loved about Sunderland, their free-flowing and fearless style of play. Once that was gone, it was only a matter of time until he would lose his job.
“Mike Dodds is in charge and did a decent job before but reality is kicking in. It's an audition for him which is not going well.”