HE is presiding over a side that have failed to pick up a single point from any of their last six matches, with the mood around the rest of the club becoming increasingly toxic as the fanbase begin to ask critical questions of the owners.

He is having to operate without a host of senior players who have been sidelined through injury, and is in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle in the remaining nine matches of the season.

Yet as he reflects on his third spell as Sunderland’s interim head coach, Mike Dodds is more convinced than ever that he wants to be a full-time boss in the future. Having experienced the hard times, the 37-year-old wants to be able to enjoy the happier side of management.

“It’s shown me this is what I want to do,” said the stand-in Black Cats boss. “From a selfish perspective, it’s actually made me cement my beliefs. It’s made me a lot clearer on what I want to do, where I want to go, and how I should go about it.

“I think that’s just about being completely open, honest and genuine. I’ve tried my hardest not to moan about things. This is the squad we’ve got, we’re cracking on, and sometime, we’re going to win a game of football. When we do that, it will snowball.

“I believe in what I do. People aren’t going to change my thought process on that, and I’m getting on with where we’re at, at the moment. I know if I stick to my plan and my processes, things will change.”

Dodds’ first spell in charge was equally traumatic, with defeats to Doncaster and Cheltenham preceding the arrival of Alex Neil in the 2021-22 campaign. Things were better earlier this season, when the coach presided over victories over West Brom and Leeds, and a defeat to Bristol City, prior to Michael Beale taking over at the Stadium of Light.

It is safe to say that the current caretaker spell has been the toughest of the lot, so with his own reputation to protect, has Dodds not thought about stepping down to resume a coaching role rather than harshly being portrayed as the fall-guy for the current malaise?

“I could take a step back, but that’s not in my nature,” he said. “People say, ‘Are you enjoying it?’ I’m not enjoying it because I’ve lost four on the bounce and your ego takes a real dent. But the pressure is really addictive.

READ MORE:

“One thing this has done is shown me that once you realise that the negativity isn’t going to help you progress or have clarity in what you’re trying to do, then you become really clear in your objectives. So, in terms of protecting myself, I think the best way to do that is just by being 100 per cent authentic and real in everything I do.

“One thing I’m definitely not going to do is say that the players I’ve got aren’t good enough, because I definitely think that they are. A few of them just need a little bit more help, and that help will come when we get some of our higher performers back.”

Dodds also insists he retains unshakeable belief in his own coaching ability, even if he accepts that a run of four successive defeats will inevitably affect the way in which he is viewed externally.

“I’m really confident in the way I work and coach, and I get a really good feel and vibe from the players that they’re completely buying into what we’re trying to do,” he said. “I’ve seen enough in the games, albeit not consistently, for me to have a real belief that what we’re doing is right.

“We’ve just got to find more consistency with that, and it’s my responsibility to do that. One thing I’ve realised is that this quite a lonely role, and you’ve just got to accept the negativity that comes your way.”