Exclusive:Former Sunderland, Ipswich and Sheff Wed midfielder aiming to return to management

Former Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Tommy Miller is aiming to return to management in the near future - but insisted he will only accept an offer if it is right for him.

Miller kicked off his coaching career working alongside Spennymoor Town legend Jason Ainsley as he guided the Moors up the non-league pyramid throughout a 14-year managerial reign at the Brewery Field. Former Black Cats midfielder Miller succeeded Ainsley in April 2021 to step into the lead role in the dugout but left his position just over seven months later with Moors sat just below the midway point of the National League North table.

Miller returned to the dugout during the summer of 2023 when he was named as assistant manager to former Sunderland favourite Julio Arca after he accepted an offer to take charge of National League North newcomers South Shields. Arca succeeded Black Cats legend Kevin Phillips at the 1st Cloud Arena - but parted company with the Mariners in December of the same year after a six-game winless run left them sat just outside of the play-off places in non-league’s second tier.

After helping out at the likes of Buxton and Macclesfield over the last year, Miller is now ‘feeling refreshed’ and is ready to return to the dugout after admitting he has missed the challenges of coaching and managing.

He told The Echo: “I was still under contract with South Shields after leaving the club and couldn’t really go into another job. I went into Macclesfield for a bit to help out as I’m good friends with Steve Bruce’s son, Alex. I spent a little bit of time there when he was manager but I’ve just been going out and watching games at all levels. I’ve been to the likes of Sunderland, Stockton Town, Hartlepool United, of course, and I’ve even been down to Ipswich Town. It’s been good to be out of it for a while, it has allowed me to reflect on where I’ve been but also to study how things are done by other managers and coaches.

“I’ve learnt from my time at South Shields and Spennymoor Town and after the break I feel ready to get back in. I’ve played, managed and coached part-time and full-time and you do miss it but the next best thing to playing is coaching and managing. You miss that involvement with the players and I don’t mind saying I’ve missed it. I feel refreshed and ready to go again.”

Miller has continued his involvement in the game via the 689 Pro Coaching company he set up alongside fellow former pros Andrew Davies and Danny Graham - but is now hoping to make a more permanent return to the dugout after confirming he has received offers to get back into management and coaching over the last 12 months.

“There have been a couple of offers over the last year that haven’t added up for me. It has to be right for me and I have a little coaching business on the side with another couple of former players in Andrew Davies and Danny Graham. We do a little bit of that here and there but it would have to be right for me. If it’s something I’m interested in, then I would travel to get back in but again, it has to be right. I’ve worked as a coach, assistant and a manager and I would like to get back into being a manager again."

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