Former Man Utd star declares interest in Sunderland job after Michael Beale sacking

A former Manchester United forward has put his hat in the ring for the now vacant Sunderland job. The Black Cats are looking for a new manager for the second time this season having sacked Tony Mowbray early in the campaign, now adding Michael Beale to the list of recently axed managers.

The former Rangers boss hasn't managed to guide the Black Cats into the playoffs, and while they are only four points off the pace, owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus does not have a reputation for being a patient man. The search now begins for a new boss, and former United and Sunderland forward Dwight Yorke is keen on the position, as he has been in the past having finished his playing career with the Black Cats.

“I would just like the opportunity to manage Sunderland,” York told Gambling Zone. “I’ve played for these clubs and it would be nice to go back to Sunderland, but it doesn’t mean that I’d rule out managing another club in the EFL. I have to be open-minded to the challenge I’d have to take on.”

Yorke recently spent time in charge of Australian club Macarthur, winning more than half of his games in charge and winning the Australia Cup, but he hasn't managed to break into English football despite attempting to do so. That has led to frustration, and he spoke out at the time of Beale's appointment.

“Was I surprised at Michael Beale’s appointment? Well, people are given chances from failed opportunities and it baffles me," he said in the back-end of last year. “He was an assistant at Villa, did OK. Did OK at QPR then went to Rangers and got sacked and now he’s at Sunderland.

“Here we are in a space of a year and there’s someone like him in three or four jobs! You’re just trying to scratch your head at how that works and based on what results. He seems like a decent bloke, I don’t know him but I’ve listened to him on TV, but ultimately you need to be judged on results, right?

“And if I were to judge on his results, it’s not really overly impressive but he’s got another high-profile job at Sunderland. It’s unfair when someone like me is looking to seek an opportunity into football and you’re not getting the rub of the green in that sense. He’s been given another opportunity to prove himself so we will just have to wait and see. I just find it crazy that he’s got into the situation of going to QPR, Rangers and then Sunderland and a bit like Wayne Rooney, these people seem to be getting all of these chances and I don’t get how it works.”