Alex Neil hoping to raid Sunderland to boost his Stoke coaching team

Is Alex Neil hoping to tempt a Sunderland coach into following him to Stoke?

Alex Neil could return to Sunderland to poach a part of the coaching staff, according to reports in the Potteries.

Neil is shaking things up at Stoke, and last week sacked former Sunderland player Rory Delap from his staff. Opposition analyst Steve Corns is also supposedly set to leave the club.

It is all part of Neil trying to put his own stamp on the club, and according to the Stoke Sentinel that could involve Sunderland coach Mike Dodds.

“That's something that is ongoing like most things at the club,” Neil said regarding his search for new coaches. “We'll see where we get to. I'm not sure at the moment, we'll need to wait and see.

“There are a whole list of things I'd like to do but naturally we've only got so much time and there's only so much manoeuvrability to make sure we get to where we want to get to.”

The report claims Dodds is ‘on a shortlist,’ although it still may be a bit of a surprise if he does follow Neil to Stoke. Then again, it was a surprise when Neil went there too.

Neil did not appoint Dodds at Sunderland, he actually replaced him. Dodds was in caretaker charge with Michael Proctor following the sacking of Lee Johnson in January 2021, and not doing an especially good job at it.

However, when he was appointed, Neil did promote Dodds and Proctor to first-team coaches, and they have remained in those positions under Tony Mowbray.

Dodds has a good relationship with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman with them both coming from Birmingham, but it’s one to keep an eye on.

If Dodds did join Neil at Stoke, it would make a very strong former Sunderland connection with former captain John O’Shea also a first team coach at the club.

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