12 Candidates Who Could Be Sunderland's Next Manager

3. Steve McClaren

Shhhteve McClaren isn't half as dire as some people make him out to be. Let's not forget he brought the League Cup back to the North East with Middlesbrough, the only piece of major silverware the region has seen since Sunderland's 1973 FA Cup victory. He also clawed them up to a UEFA Cup final; that's no small feat. His England days were largely shambolic, but he moved abroad and found Dutch league success with FC Twente by winning the title. However, his recent reputation has been smeared by poor spells at Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest, and a return to Twente. His Derby side spectacularly fell out of the Championship promotion race but there were some very positive signs throughout the season. He's a likely candidate, which is understandable, but likely nothing more than just a name on a long list.