Jack Ross ‘shortlisted’ for Scottish FA chief football officer role | OneFootball

Jack Ross has been ‘shortlisted’ to become the Scottish FA’s chief football officer, Daily Record reports. The 49-year-old is said to be among the ‘leading candidates’ to replace Andy Gould, who left for a FIFA role.

Ross managed Sunderland from May 2018 to October 2019 after back-to-back relegations to League One. His first season brought a fifth-placed finish and a play-off final, which ended in a 2-1 defeat to Charlton Athletic.

Sunderland also lost the EFL Trophy final that season on penalties to Portsmouth after a 2-2 draw at Wembley. He was dismissed early in 2019/20 with the team sixth, and they later slipped to eighth before promotion a year later.

Since leaving, Ross has led Hibernian and Dundee United, reaching a Scottish Cup final with Hibs. He is now Newcastle United’s head of football strategy, and whether he would leave St James’ Park remains unclear.

Elsewhere, former Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has announced he will retire at the end of the season. He made 101 appearances for the Black Cats from 2010 to 2013, keeping 33 clean sheets and helping them finish as high as 10th in the Premier League.

The Belgian then played 204 games for Liverpool. Now 38 and with Club Brugge for seven years, he has helped win four league titles and three domestic cups. Brugge sit second heading into the Championship Play-off, with 10 games left, and chase a 20th crown, while only Anderlecht have 34.

Source: Sunderland Echo