Michael Beale only replaced Tony Mowbray as Sunderland boss in December; former Rangers boss struggled to win over club's fans and claimed just four victories from 12 games; Sunderland are 10th in the Championship, four points off the play-offs; Mike Dodds will take charge until the summer
Monday 19 February 2024 20:34, UK
Michael Beale has parted company with Sunderland after just nine weeks in charge.
Beale oversaw only four wins in 12 games after succeeding Tony Mowbray and leaves the Black Cats 10th in the Championship, four points off the play-off positions.
The former QPR and Rangers boss' final match in charge was the 2-1 defeat to Birmingham - Mowbray's current club - on Saturday.
Mike Dodds, Sunderland's assistant manager, will take charge until the end of the season as the club consider a long-term appointment in the summer.
Beale struggled to win over many of the Sunderland fans during his short time in charge at the Stadium of Light.
The 43-year-old also attracted criticism for appearing to snub Trai Hume when the defender was substituted at St Andrew's last weekend.
The 2023/24 season has been one to forget for Beale, who was also sacked by Rangers in October after less than a year at the helm.
Philippe Clement, his replacement at Ibrox, has won 22 of his 26 games in charge and taken Rangers to the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Beale's first managerial job was an impressive five-month spell in charge of QPR, which convinced Rangers to appoint him as head coach.
Beale has also worked with Chelsea and Liverpool's youth teams, while he was assistant manager at Sao Paulo, and at Rangers and Aston Villa under Steven Gerrard.
Sky Sports' Don Goodman:
"It's always hard when you are taking over from someone who is very popular, somebody whose style of football they enjoyed. It means you've got to hit the ground running and that never happened for Michael Beale, unfortunately. He was never really taken to heart by the Sunderland fans, for whatever reason.
"I do think the sacking of someone as popular as Tony Mowbray has played its part in that, but the hierarchy are the ones that need to take a long, hard look at themselves. Birmingham had it earlier in the season when Wayne Rooney came in after John Eustace.
"The Sunderland fans probably looked at how it went for him at Rangers and saw someone who struggled in his last job, which doesn't make logical sense to the football fans from the outside looking in. The reason the club did it was because Michael had a brilliant reputation as a coach of young players and in developing young players.
"Part of the reason is that he was under pressure from day one and another part of that is that, with the strategy of only purchasing and playing young players, there comes a point where you are just going to have to accept the inconsistency because that's what happens."
