Bilic in the frame as Sbragia steps down

AS celebrations go it was hardly a case of popping the champagne corks, but then that just isn’t Ricky Sbragia’s style.

Marking the achievement of keeping Sunderland in the Premier League, albeit in defeat, one of football’s great thinkers once again allowed his head to rule his heart and stepped down from the role of manager at the Stadium Of Light.

The Croat Slaven Bilic is hot favourite to succeed Sbragia and become Sunderland’s fifth manager in as many years.

“My brief was to keep Sunderland up and I’m not sad at all,” said Sbragia.

“I think I made the right choice. I could have been selfish and kept the job but I was thinking about Sunderland football club.

“For them to take the next step they need a bigger name. It’s all about Sunderland and I felt it was time to go. It’s even better to hand over to someone with the club still in the Premier League.”

Sbragia’s chairman, Niall Quinn, in the throes of securing the club’s financial future by finalising a takeover deal with Texan billionaire and shareholder Ellis Short, was ready for his manager to take up the option of another season at the Stadium Of Light helm.

However, a club still struggling under the shadow of former manager Roy Keane requires a more recognisable figurehead to reach the next level and Croatia’s national team coach Bilic fits the bill.

“I will do my very best to deliver the big name Sunderland fans deserve,” said Quinn. “But we haven’t even had time to think about managers or even make lists of managers.

“We do need a big name at this club but we need someone who will change the mentality of the dressing room. That individual will be top of my list.”

When Sunderland kicked off their season with Keane at the helm and a squad boosted by £40m worth of proven talent few could have predicted that a campaign which offered so much promise would reach such a tense denouement.

Of course wild optimism gave way to familiar pessimism long before Guus Hiddink brought his FA Cup finalists to Wearside but a first choice Chelsea 11 simply added to an atmosphere bristling with tension prior to kick-off.

That apprehension gave way to raucous backing once referee Mark Halsey blew his whistle and it is testimony to the long-suffering folk of a proud football city that they were prepared to give one final boost to a team which has barely deserved such loyal support.

“They are why I do this job,” added Quinn. “Sunderland is a massive club and there’s a fan base out there which proves it.”

Earlier, with a comment incredibly candid even by his standards, Quinn perfectly summed up his troubled club’s awful plight when explaining just why Short sees the Black Cats as an intriguing investment opportunity.

“Ellis has a history of getting involved with assets that have been weakened or depressed and realising their potential,” said Quinn.

Weakened and depressed is putting it lightly. When Danny Collins, the workaholic yet limited defender, wins Sunderland’s Player of the Year award there can be no more damning indictment of a star-studded squad which has never shown any stomach for a punishing fight for survival.

Despite starting this fixture with an attitude and aptitude befitting of their supporters’ enthusiasm, the home side’s graft was no substitute for their opponents’ guile.

When the French midfield player Steed Malbranque, the outstanding performer in red and white, inexplicably misplaced a simple pass, Chelsea swept forward en masse with a series of neat touches and cute runs.

In seeking to cap the perfect breakaway, Didier Drogba only managed to direct his lofted shot onto the roof of the Sunderland net. Even the idea was more than any of Sbragia’s players could muster. Chelsea finally broke the deadlock two minutes into the second half and Nicolas Anelka’s fine strike won the Frenchman the Premier League’s Golden Boot, as well as laying the foundation for victory.

Kieran Richardson replied minutes later but Hiddink’s men were never truly troubled and substitute Salomon Kalou added the visitors’ second before Ashley Cole added a third, with a rare right footed shot, four minutes from time.

When Kenwyne Jones reduced the arrears again in stoppage time Sunderland’s fans sensed a famous point but Everton’s FA Cup final opponents were in no mood to relinquish victory. “Now we can take a deep breath and then think about kicking on from here,” added Quinn.

“When I think about what we’ve put our fans through this season they deserve that much.”

REFEREE: Mark Halsey (Lancs) 7: With so much at stake for Sunderland, Halsey could have expected a harder afternoon’s work but Sbragia’s players never matched the passion in the stands with a performance on the pitch.

MATCH RATING: **** An unexpected thriller after a stale first half gave way to sensational passage of play after the break.