KRISTJAAN SPEAKMAN is confident Mike Dodds will be a successful head coach in the future, but claims working alongside Michael Beale is the ideal next step in the former caretaker’s development.

Dodds stepped in for three matches following the dismissal of Tony Mowbray earlier this month, overseeing victories over West Brom and Leeds United and a defeat to Bristol City.

The 37-year-old has been part of Sunderland’s backroom staff since following Speakman from Birmingham City in the summer of 2021, and has never hidden his desire to progress through the coaching ranks.

Speakman expects him to be operating as a head coach in the not-too-distant future, but is also confident he can learn a lot from working alongside Beale as the new Sunderland boss’ number two.

“I think Mike is on a very similar trajectory to Michael,” said the Black Cats’ sporting director. “Michael is probably a little bit ahead of him on that. They've spent years and years crafting and perfecting their skills.

“Doddsy has done nothing different to when he took the Doncaster and Cheltenham games (after Lee Johnson’s departure) but in football, small margins can really impact the perception people have. What Doddsy has done is reflected and reviewed, come back stronger and when the opportunity came again - and by the way we had no doubt in his ability to take the team - he's been able to deliver and competently take the team forward.

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“I'm sure one day he wants to be a head coach, and he's got all the skills to do that, but he also understands the gravity of the role having done it on a couple of occasions. He's now in a really good position to offer the right kind of advice as an assistant head coach. I'm really proud of his progression and I'm really pleased that people have seen the positives he brings in the last couple of weeks, and I'm sure he'll have a huge part to play in Michael's success.”

Beale is more than happy to have Dodds alongside him, having previously tried to recruit the former Birmingham academy boss.

“I tried to nab Mike from a previous club off Kristjaan when we were recruiting there, so I know of him,” he said. “We've coached against each other coming through.

“He's really important to me. There's no manager that is super human and you need to share the workload, and we've done that already. He worked very well for Tony and it's not just Mike, Micheal Proctor knows the club inside out and Ally (Alessandro Barcherini), the goalkeeper coach, as well.”

At this stage, there are no plans to bring anyone else onto the backroom staff, although that will be continually reassessed and there is scope to make an additional appointment if it is decided that one is required.

“In time, if we feel there's room and there's a need for it, we’ll add to it,” explained Beale. “Everyone plays their role. Mike is hugely important and we have a lot of the same beliefs, we’ve shared a lot over the years together.”