Mike Dodds expects to remain in charge of Sunderland against Leeds

Posted Sunday, December 10, 2023 by PA

Interim boss Mike Dodds expects to still be in charge of Sunderland for Tuesday’s visit of Leeds after guiding the Black Cats to a 2-1 win over West Brom.

Dodds was handed the head coach role on a temporary basis after Tony Mowbray was sacked earlier this week and got off to the perfect start as the hosts brought a three-game winless run to an end.

The interview process for a new head coach is under way but Dodds does not expect an appointment to be made in the coming days.

“As far as I’m aware I’m in charge on Tuesday, nobody has told me otherwise,” said Dodds.

“I will stick to my plan until someone else tells me otherwise.”

Dan Ballard and Dan Neil scored Sunderland’s second-half goals against the Baggies, who halved the deficit through substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante late on but couldn’t force an equaliser.

Dodds said: “I’m a perfectionist and I want to have complete control of the game, I didn’t like elements of the first half where they had too much control of the ball, albeit without hurting us too much.

“I think they played through us and our shape a little too much. The second half I think is a Sunderland team regardless of who is in charge: youthful, on the front foot, turning the game into 1-v-1 both attacking and defending, being brave in and out of possession; the second half for me is a Sunderland team.”

With Sunderland’s four strikers still without a goal this season, Dodds opted to play midfielder Jobe Bellingham up-front against West Brom and the teenager had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside in the first half.

“I had the privilege of coaching him from a very young age and I watched him playing as a striker pretty much up until the under-14s,” said Dodds, who worked with both Bellingham brothers at Birmingham.

“It wasn’t until he got a bit older that his position changed.

“I’m not saying he’s a number nine, just that he’s a player who has a knack of breaking into the box and who can naturally find space in the box.

“The reality is that for an 18-year-old, with a bit of luck he could have almost double figures to his name this season. We’ll see what Tuesday brings but as I’ve said before, the reality is I could play him anywhere on the pitch and he’d perform.”

West Brom have now lost two games on the bounce and boss Carlos Corberan was frustrated with his side’s display on Wearside.

He said: “We didn’t perform to the best level we have as a team. I know the quality of the players Sunderland have.

“After the mistake that led to the Sunderland goal that was disallowed, it created a lot of doubt in ourselves.

“From that moment, Sunderland attacked more and we defended more. We created problems for ourselves.”

Corberan handed Josh Maja his first start of the season but the former Sunderland striker was forced off injured in the first half.

Corberan said: “It’s unfair for him. He had eight weeks out of the team. In the last three weeks he’s come back and the first time I put him in the first XI, he gets another injury from a foul.”