Black Cats won’t be rushed

Sunderland will take their time to make sure they find the right replacement for Paolo Di Canio after launching the search for his successor.

The process of drawing up a shortlist of potential replacements began in earnest yesterday in the wake of the 45-year-old Italian’s exit on Sunday night.

However, Black Cats owner Ellis Short has an open mind about the identity of the club’s sixth manager in less than five years and will not rush into an appointment.

Development coach Kevin Ball, who had 10 games at the helm as caretaker boss following Mick McCarthy’s departure in March 2006, will take charge of tonight’s Capital One Cup third round tie against Peterborough (kick-off 7.45pm), and could remain in charge for Sunday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool at the Stadium of Light.

Bookmakers have been quick to install former Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo as an odds-on favourite to replace his compatriot, but Gus Poyet, Alex McLeish and Steve McClaren are currently all featuring prominently in the betting, although Celtic’s Neil Lennon has effectively ruled himself out of the running.

The Black Cats have already been contacted by agents offering a series of names to them.

However, while Di Canio and his staff — coach Fabrizio Piccareta, goalkeeping coach Domenico Doardo, fitness coach Claudio Donatelli and physiotherapist Giulio Viscardi — have gone, the new structure under which they operated remains in place.

As a result, the new manager will be expected to work under director of football Roberto De Fanti and chief scout Valentino Angeloni, who presided over the recruitment of 14 summer signings, and that may limit the field somewhat. In addition, the successful candidate may also have to do without star striker Steven Fletcher for an extended period with the Black Cats waiting for news of the damage caused by the shoulder dislocation he suffered during Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at West Brom.

In total, Di Canio’s reign extended to 175 days and just 13 games, 12 of them in the league.

Two of his three victories came in last season’s Premier League and helped to secure the club’s top-flight status and the £70 million windfall guaranteed by the new broadcasting deal.

However, Di Canio’s authoritarian style ultimately proved his downfall with his strict regime off the pitch — at its extremes, he banned ketchup and mayonnaise from the training ground and railed about the relaxed relationship between his players and the club’s ancillary staff — sowing seeds of discontent.

But it was his public criticism of senior players and his inability to halt a short, but alarming slide which eventually proved the final straw.

Hull manager Steve Bruce, whose own stay on Wearside lasted almost two and a half years, sympathised with Di Canio, but admitted the confrontational approach simply does not work in the modern era.

He said: “You cannot manage in the Premier League these days through a fear factor. You have got to be able to manage individuals.

“Man management has become more relevant in my experience than coaching. Once you get yourself in the Premier League, they are all good players and you have got to find a way of getting the best out of them. It’s never my style to criticise anyone in public and I’m disappointed for Paolo.”

For his part, Ball is confident he can fulfil the role of caretaker Sunderland manager at the second time of asking.

Ball filled the role for 10 games in 2006 following Mick McCarthy’s departure, and as he prepared the players for tonight’s clash with Peterborough, he was not fazed by the prospect.

He said: “The situation last time was slightly different but it did give you an experience, whether it be for one or 10 games. I enjoyed it last time and I hope I feel the same way about this one as well.

“I have coached for 10 years, so within that, you do so many things that a manager would do anyhow, it’s not a fantastically, unbelievable step.”