The bigger picture

Merson: Chelsea cruised

They need eight players. If you keep the same team they will get the same results next season. It doesn't just change like that.

Paul Merson
Quotes of the week

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
Sheffield Utd v Burnley
2.30pm, Mon, Sky Sports 1 & HD1

Also see

• Sunderland safe despite defeat

Sunderland 2-3 Chelsea
Soccer Special analysis

Sunderland need to appoint a 'box office' manager, according to Paul Merson, if they are to improve on their 16th spot finish in the Premier League next season.

Merson believes Ricky Sbragia, who stood down as boss after the club's last-day 3-2 defeat to Chelsea, was out of his depth as manager and that the only way for the club to go forward is to appoint a big name boss.

Sbragia was in charge of the Black Cats for five months and succeeded in steering the side away from the fate of north-east rivals Newcastle and Middlesbrough, both of whom have been relegated to the Championship.

Difficult

But Merson said he was not surprised Sbragia - who took over after Roy Keane's departure in December - had decided to call it a day.

"He's a good coach," said Merson, "but there's a big difference between a coach and a manager and I think he's a very good coach. I don't think he's a good manager.

"He was put in that position and he's kept them up. I'm really please for Niall Quinn and hopefully next season they can stay up a bit more easily than they have done this season.

"He did have a couple of good results (during his caretaker spell) and Quinny's thought 'it's staring me straight in the face' and he's given him the job.

"But after that it became very, very difficult; managing is a difficult, difficult job. He got on a bad run and it's difficult to get out of that if you are not an experienced manager. I just hope that he stays on there as a coach."

Spotlight

Merson believes Sunderland must now act decisively and do all in their power to attract a leading light to be their next boss.

"I think they need a big name manager," he insisted. "Teams like Sunderland need people like Roy Keane.

"They need box office, where even if they are near the bottom they are still in the spotlight otherwise Sunderland will always be a team that is just in the background if they just get a normal manager."

He added: "They need eight players. If you keep the same team they will get the same results next season. It doesn't just change like that.

"You need to change the personnel. Certain players there look good, others don't. Chelsea played in testimonial mode and they still scored three goals.

"They were playing 4-5-1 and that looks like the only way they can play and that isn't going to keep you up."