Ex-Morecambe manager emerges as surprise Sunderland candidate amid Will Still rejection | OneFootball

The Black Cats looked to be closing in on the former Reims manager, with Still even reportedly looking into where the could live in the North East should he be appointed.

Now they appear to have missed out on the highly-rated boss in a battle with French outfit RC Lens, as their search for a new manager goes on from when they sacked Michael Beale in February after just 12 games in the dug out.

Former Young Boys manager Raphael Wicky and Bayern Munich U19 head coach Rene Maric have also been names of interest, but reports are now emerging that the latter may well be offered a promotion by new Bayern boss Vincent Kompany in order to keep him in Bavaria.

So, could Sunderland be about to cast their net north of the border?

Sunderland ready to make Stephen Robinson move

Reporting via his Patreon, journalist Alan Nixon has revealed that Sunderland are ready to make a surprise move for St Mirren boss Robinson, should what looks likely to happen happens and Still is officially no longer an option.

The Black Cats are locked in a battle with French Ligue 1 side RC Lens for the 31-year-old manager, as they hope to keep Still in France with the added allure of European football in the UEFA Conference League next season.

If they lose that fight, Nixon states that the Northern Irishman has his fair share of supporters inside of Sunderland, and would climb up the list of potential alternatives to take over at the Stadium of Light.

Robinson began his coaching career back in 2012, as he took charge of the Northern Ireland under-19's side. He'd spend the next two-and-a-half years coaching at various levels across the national team's youth setup, with spells in charge of the under-17's and under-21's sides respectively.

He'd take his first steps into club management with Oldham in July 2016, a position he would hold only until the following January. His longest stint at a club to date would come next, as he spent almost four years in charge of Motherwell.

Robinson would leave Fir Park in December 2020, before a brief return to English football as Morecambe manager between July 2021-February 2022, where he'd depart for his current employers St Mirren.

Stephen Robinson would be a risky move for Sunderland

With League One being the highest level Robinson has managed at in English football, it's fair to say that appointing him would represent a sizeable gamble by the Sunderland hierarchy, especially in what has the feel of a vital summer and season ahead on Wearside.

The Stadium of Light terraces expect their club to be battling for the top six in the Championship, and anything other than that will be deemed as a failure.

Therefore, with Robinson both failing to see out a full season at either of his EFL managerial roles, nor being able to field a winning record at either of them, the size of the risk becomes apparent.

Room for optimism can be seen from his latest appointment however, as the 49-year-old has guided St Mirren to a fifth-placed finish in the Scottish Premiership in 2023/24 - their highest finish since they returned to the top-flight back in 2018.

This also meant that the Paisley outfit have booked their place in the UEFA Conference League next season, which will be their first foray into European football since 1987.

But after having been linked to Wicky, a former Champions League manager, Still, who has been highly successful in France, and Maric, the former assistant to Jesse Marsch at Leeds United, it's understandable why this appointment could be viewed as step backwards by fans.

Robinson will have a lot to prove should he be handed the reins at the Stadium of Light, and he may not have long to win Sunderland supporters over should his side get off to a rocky start in the Championship next season.