Graeme Souness says Sunderland are too big a club for Michael Beale

Former Rangers boss Graeme Souness appears to have suggested that Sunderland are too big a club for Michael Beale ahead of his expected appointment.

Beale emerged on Friday as the surprise top target for the Sunderland head coach job despite a furious fan backlash on social media.

He is expected to be appointed early next week and will be tasked with building on the good work done by Tony Mowbray.

However, Beale struggled badly at Rangers in his previous job, a club where expectations are high and the spotlight intense – and Souness believes he could struggle similar on Wearside.

"Michael Beale looks set to take over as the new head coach at Sunderland and I suspect that job will be just as difficult as he found it at Rangers,” Souness told the Daily Mail.

“It was a gamble going to Scotland and it did not work out for him. Sunderland will be something similar in that it is a huge club with big expectations.

“They are a Premier League level club, in reality. Also, one of his early games will be against Newcastle in the FA Cup? I wish him all the best!"

Sunderland rallied following the sacking of Mowbray with Mike Dodds registering home wins against West Brom and Leeds. That run came to an end with a disappointing defeat at Bristol City this weekend.

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