NEWS: How the Sunderland players responded when they learned that Michael Beale had been fired on Monday

The players from Sunderland have now responded to Monday’s firing of Michael Beale.

After just two months, Sunderland announced on Monday that it and Beale had broken up, with Beale having managed the team for just 12 games.

After a stormy tenure in charge, he succeeded the popular Tony Mowbray, and it was Mowbray’s Birmingham City that put the last nail in Beale’s coffin at the Stadium of Light.

Since then, there have been multiple reports circulating that purport to show a rift between Beale and the Sunderland players—a claim that Beale has refuted—and now there is talk of the players’ initial outcry following Beale’s departure.

Player disappointment at Michael Beale’s departure at Sunderland
The players at Sunderland learned of Beale’s departure on Monday at the Academy of Light, and immediately thereafter, “there was little disappointment in the room,” according to The Athletic, in an unexpected turn of events.

However, the same report goes on to say that “nobody at the Stadium of Light was convinced Beale had the skill set to win public approval or turn the tide.”

Four victories in twelve games for Beale. However, consecutive losses to Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town sealed his fate. Sunderland’s play in those games, especially the 1-0 home loss to Hull City last month, indicated that the team had truly regressed under Beale’s leadership.

It’s time for everyone to go on.
It remains to be seen what aspects of the Beale saga at Sunderland are true and which are false.

The extent of what went on behind the scenes and how well-liked Beale was by the players and staff may never be revealed to the public.

Though Beale was universally despised by supporters, if the players were genuinely a little let down by his departure, it might indicate that he was a good coach and could have eventually brought out the best in them.

However, the team now has a well-known and respected name to play the remaining 13 games of the season with in Mike Dodds.

The Black Cats, who are still in a strong position to contend for a spot in the top six, have 13 important games left.

Sunderland is currently seven points outside of the top six in 10th place. However, anything can happen in the last few weeks of the season, and Dodds will be hoping that his team’s victories against West Brom and Leeds United this year—both under his direction—will help swing things around.

Beale, for his part, will undoubtedly take a vacation from football following this trying time on Wearside.