EFL pundit issues concerning Sunderland verdict ahead of 2023/24 season | OneFootball

Pundit Sam Parkin admits he is unsure whether Sunderland will be able to challenge for promotion from the Championship again next season.

The Black Cats enjoyed an outstanding season as they reached the play-offs in their first year back in the Championship, but they were beaten 3-2 on aggregate by Luton Town in the semi-finals.

A summer of change at Sunderland?

There is significant uncertainty at the club this summer, most notably around the future of manager Tony Mowbray, with talkSPORT claiming he is "fighting to save his job" despite the excellent work he has done this campaign.

RB Salzburg head coach Matthias Jaissle, Italian coach Francesco Farioli and former Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber are said to be candidates to replace Mowbray but the Daily Mail reported last week that Mowbray will remain in charge and has started preparations for next season.

The club are thought to be bracing themselves for offers for a number of their key players this summer including Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts, with the former attracting interest from Premier League sides Brentford and Crystal Palace, according to journalist Alan Nixon, while the influential Amad Diallo has gone back to Manchester United after his loan spell and is unlikely to return.

What did Sam Parkin say?

Parkin says that while having star striker Ross Stewart and other players back from injury will be a huge boost for the Black Cats, he is not convinced they will be able to replicate their achievements from this season.

"Sunderland, obviously everyone's had their say on the speculation about Tony Mowbray, that would be incredibly harsh given what he's had to work with this year and the results that he's been able to produce," Parkin said on the What the EFL?! podcast.

"They'll obviously have Ross Stewart back and a number of those injured lads will come back into the picture, so things are looking relatively rosy, although Diallo will probably have to be replaced.

"So I'm not sure they'll be able to match what they did this year."

Will Sunderland challenge for promotion again next season?

Parkin is right to have reservations about Sunderland's prospects next term.

It is essential that the managerial situation is resolved quickly and as Parkin says, it would be incredibly harsh to dismiss Mowbray, who has done more than enough to earn the right to continue in his role.

Diallo will be a huge loss for the Black Cats, and they must ensure they keep hold of at least one of Clarke and Roberts, or they will lose a significant amount of their attacking threat and creativity.

However, Stewart's return to fitness is crucial and if the Scotsman can rediscover the form he displayed prior to his injury, it gives Sunderland an excellent chance of challenging for the top six once again.