63 days. That's all Michael Beale managed in the red and white hotseat, taking just 14 points from a possible 33 available to him.
It's the shortest managerial tenure in Sunderland's recent history and a marriage that seemed set to fail from the outset. Still, he managed to outlast Paul Gascoigne's 39 days at Kettering Town and Brian Clough's 44 days at Leeds United.
That being said, I don't think we'll be seeing a Sunderland version of the 'Damned United' any time soon.
Appointed on December 18th, the former Rangers boss took charge of his first game of the club just three days later - a 3-0 defeat to Coventry City, which left him fighting fires from the get go.
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Booed off the pitch, he was forced to apologise to fans for the poor performance.
The decision to part ways with his predecessor, much loved boss Tony Mowbray left a sour taste in the mouth of many supporters, although it's important to state not all felt it was the wrong call, just the wrong man to follow suit.
Their feelings now vindicated.
A win over Hull City and an impressive three points on the road swung the pendulum back towards the centre point. It wasn't the free flowing football supporters had been accustomed to seeing, but a more pragmatic approach that delivered three points with the vast majority of the red and white faithful willing to give him a chance to prove himself.
A good base point to build upon. However, it's fair to say not everyone was won over by 'Beale-ball' as it was later coined on social media. A contingent of the Black Cats faithful left uninspired by Beale's appointment, contested his position from the outset, the draw with Rotherham United not doing much to sway the tide.
Not helped by the club's decision to lay out the red carpet for their arch rivals Newcastle United in the FA Cup, it's fair to say Beale found himself caught up in a storm not of his own doing.
However, the outgoing Sunderland head coach doesn't find himself blameless. A three game winless streak, including that limp defeat to the Magpies where the Black Cats were set-up to frustrate, doing the same to supporters when the likes of Boro gave it a real go against Aston Villa in the same round of the competition.
Against Ipswich Town and Hull City, fans called for him to be sacked and #BealeOut trended on social media.
"I think some people weren’t happy when I arrived before I even started playing a game, so we have to just play the next game that’s in front of us," Beale said reflecting on chants calling for him to be sacked. "I’m delighted with the way the players are working behind the scenes and the togetherness of the group. I just have to keep working with the players and if the results go our way it will change some people’s opinion, but some people may never so I have to face that as a fact really.
"If we win that game [against Stoke City] we’ll go back just outside the play-offs on goal difference, so there’s a huge crisis at this football club; the youngest team in the league, we haven’t got the biggest budget, we’re sat three points outside the play-offs with a home game coming up. I’m a little bit perplexed and bemused by the outside thing.
"The change was made by the club. We’d won two in nine when the change was made. In the next nine league games the team has won four. So, for me, there’s an ongoing issue that we’re not scoring enough goals. We’re scoring a goal per game in the last 18 or 19 and we need to try and rectify that. We need all the support from the outside and the focus needs to stay on the team, I think."
A press conference blackout almost spared Beale from his worst moment as Sunderland head coach - almost. The restoration of power saw him hit out at fans - a battle you're never going to win.
“People didn’t want me here in the first place,” he said in an old-fashioned huddle around a table in the foyer at the training ground. “You can say afterwards it’s about style or this and that, but let’s cut to the chase, people didn’t want me.
“I’ll come and do the work, and ultimately, we will win games or we won’t. The reality is that there wasn’t a feelgood factor about me coming in. It’s fine, I’m not crying over it, I’m a big boy. But when people are personal, they’ve lost straight away.
“If people want to criticise the way the team is playing, I’ll take that. But in the last two games, we’ve played against two good sides, who weren’t better than us. I’m allowed that view. If we had a bit more presence in the final third, or we had one of the injured players, we would have won at least one of those games.”
Beale hit back out personal insults aimed at himself, tackling those head on.
“If it’s about football, fine,” continued Beale. “I feel I deserve a little bit more respect because my journey deserves that, but if people don’t want to give it then that’s fine.
“I have to get on with the job. If you spend 16 years at Chelsea and Liverpool, you know what expectations are. I was a young coach who went across to Brazil, so I’m not worried about taking on pressure. I’ve just been at a massive football club (Rangers) before I came here.
“If it’s about your job it’s about your job, but if it’s about anything else….look, I can’t change my accent or where I’m from. I’m proud of where I’m from.”
The former head coach had every right to feel aggrieved by a distasteful section of personal abuse aimed at him social media. A small minority rightfully called out, especially given the family health matters he's had to deal with away from football.
'High performance culture, from the background noise.'
The banner held aloft by supporters in that win over Stoke, a clear sign of unrest among the fanbase, but the win papered over those cracks.
The three game unbeaten run against the Potters, Middlesbrough and Plymouth Argyle appeared to have drawn a line in the sand for both Beale and supporters to move on from. The pendulum once again moving towards a neutral centre point.
In his press conference that would follow, Beale admitted he remained calm through the tough opening few weeks, confident that Sunderland's form would improve and he was in it for the long haul.
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Just a week or so later, he was gone. A very public snubbing of Trai Hume after his substitution at Birmingham the final issue he had to deal with - something Beale vehemently denies doing on purpose.
A two month period that promised change, yet delivered very little on the pitch. His record to Mowbray's almost identical. So, does the problem lie elsewhere?
We'll soon find out.
The manner of his departure remains a mystery given the wording of the club's official statement, which will likely come to light in the coming days and weeks.
Until then, it's Dodds who will come into the firefighter role. A win over Swansea would certainly douse any risk of those flames spiralling out of control.
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