Sunderland AFC manager hunt round-up: Gus Poyet 'not coming' to Wearside despite odds tumbling

Gus Poyet’s odds to become Sunderland’s next manager took a massive tumble earlier today.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 22:  Gus Poyet the Sunderland manager celebrates after his team won 2-1 in the penalty shootout during the Capital One Cup semi final, second leg match between Manchester United and Sunderland at Old Trafford on January 22, 2014 in Manchester, England.  (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 22:  Gus Poyet the Sunderland manager celebrates after his team won 2-1 in the penalty shootout during the Capital One Cup semi final, second leg match between Manchester United and Sunderland at Old Trafford on January 22, 2014 in Manchester, England.  (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 22: Gus Poyet the Sunderland manager celebrates after his team won 2-1 in the penalty shootout during the Capital One Cup semi final, second leg match between Manchester United and Sunderland at Old Trafford on January 22, 2014 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

The former Black Cats boss saw his odds slashed to an incredibly short price of 1/10 with SkyBet, ahead of Danny Cowley (7/1) and Paul Cook (16/1).

Indeed, BetVictor have suspended their market on Poyet’s return, marking a big shift from yesterday’s price of 11/8.

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Other names in the frame include Nigel Pearson and John O’Shea, with Lee Johnson and Daniel Stendel also high up in the betting.

Talk of Poyet’s return has gripped Wearside - however, one journalist has poured cold water on the idea.

Sky Sports’ Keith Downie explained: “Gus Poyet will NOT be making a dramatic return to Sunderland - despite a big shift in the bookies’ odds.

“The Uruguayan was a candidate, but I understand he would prefer not to drop down to League One.

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“Poyet left Sunderland when they were in the Premier League in 2015.

“I understand Sunderland have spoken to a number of candidates in the past 48 hours abs have been inundated with applications.

"Poyet was a candidate but won’t be coming back.”

Poyet, who left Sunderland in 2015, has previously said he’d be open to a return one day.

Poyet has managed AEK Athens, Real Betis, Shanghai Shenhua and Bordeaux, never lasting more than 30 games, since leaving Wearside in 2015.

In other news, Aiden McGeady – who was frozen out under previous manager Phil Parkinson – did not train with Sunderland’s first team yesterday and is still working his way back to fitness.