This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Phil Parkinson has been in charge of Sunderland for little more than a month but there is already talk of his reign coming to an end.
The Black Cats boss has struggled to adapt to life in the north-east and his failure to reinvigorate his new set of players means he has lost seven out of 11 games so far.
That is a poor return for any manager, but especially one at a club playing at a level they should be bossing, and where fan expectation allows little room for error.
As a result, there is pressure growing on Parkinson and rumblings of discontent amongst some sections of the fanbase, with calls for Kevin Phillips to take the hot seat being voiced earlier this week.
Last week, pundit Sam Parkin took a similar viewpoint, stating that fan concern means Parkinson’s time is limited unless he can address those concerns and turn things around soon.
Speaking on the Totally Football League show podcast, as reported by the Chronicle, he said:
“This is probably their lowest ebb. I think this is the lowest down they’ve ever been in their history.
“Sunderland fans this morning are absolutely fuming. And of course, it’s a Burton team who relegated them [from the Championship].
“The velocity of the stick is getting to the stage that it is then they may make a change.”
While the fan concern is totally understandable, as Parkinson is severely underperforming, 11 games isn’t enough to improve the wrongdoings of Jack Ross and rebuild a squad bereft of confidence.
The former Bolton boss needs to be given the opportunity to instil his ideas and bring in his own players, and with January only around the corner, he will have the ideal opportunity to do just that.
There are several aspects of the playing squad that are below standard, and the manager can do little about that other than bring in new additions, and ultimately it is unfair to judge his failure to win games with poor players.
A lack of creativity and leadership have been key factors in Sunderland’s undoing, and if Parkinson’s poor run continues after the transfer window then he should be assessed by the board.
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