Rene Maric latest as Sunderland’s head coach search continues after Will Still decision
Sunderland are still searching for a new head coach after talks with longstanding candidate Will Still broke down.
Still had been on the Black Cats’ radar since they sacked Tony Mowbray in December last year, when the former was still in charge of French club Reims, yet the 31-year-old is now expected to take charge at Ligue 1 RC Lens despite talks with Sunderland and Norwich.
The abrupt news means Sunderland are looking for an alternative, three-and-a-half months after sacking Michael Beale in February. Another candidate to replace Beale has been Bayern Munich youth coach Rene Maric, who was also a strong contender to replace Mowbray in December.
Maric has impressed as Bayern’s head of coach development and playing philosophy, while he took charge of the club’s under-19s team during the 2023/24 season. The 31-year-old has previously worked as an assistant coach at Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and Leeds.
Sky Sports reported this week that Maric remained one of several candidates to take charge at Sunderland, along with Still, yet Sky in Germany have claimed Maric is set to become part of Vincent Kompany’s first-team backroom staff at Bayern.
Kompany was named Munich’s new manager on Wednesday, yet his backroom staff is yet to be confirmed. Belgian coach Floribert N’Galula looks set to join Kompany in Bavaria from Burnley, along with Middlesbrough coach Aaron Danks.
