Bilic, Mancini Linked to Sunderland Post

Until Niall Quinn is sitting in a press conference unveiling a new manager there will be plenty of rumour of who will take over. During the week Steve Bruce was a "certainty", with some media outlets proclaiming that Bruce would take over by the weekend. Wigan chairman Dave Whelan confirmed on Thursday that Bruce had been allowed to speak to Sunderland.

And here we are, FA Cup Final Day, the weekend, and Steve Bruce is still the manager of Wigan Athletic, even signing a couple of the youngsters there to new contracts. Meanwhile, Slaven Bilic has made it public that he`d like the job. Rudi Vata, Bilic's agent, told reporters:

'Sure he would be interested in talking to Sunderland if they wanted to talk to him.

'He'd be open-minded about any discussions if they were interested.'

But Bilic is not the only big named manager who has made it public that he`d be interested. Reports today suggest that former Fiorentina, Lazio and Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini would like the job.

Although not specifically stating Sunderland, Mancini stated: 'My future is away from Italy, I don't have any offers at the moment, but I am not in any rush,

'I hope that a foreign team is the one which contacts me. You never know what may happen in life. You might say something and then do the opposite. In any case, my desire is to coach abroad after many years in Italy.'

Mancini, like Bilic, has had Premiership experience, although nowhere near as much, making only four appearances for Leicester City back in 2001. He has apparently spent the last season improving his English language skills.

Whereas Bruce has plenty of managerial experience in the Premiership, he does not have anywhere near the success Mancini has on his CV as a manager. Winning Serie A on three occasions and the Copa Italia four times, just one cup win as Sunderland manager would make him a legend on Wearside. He also has the big name that Chairman Niall Quinn and new owner Ellis Short crave to take Sunderland to the next level. He has one more plus that is important to Sunderland fans, he, unlike Steve Bruce, is not a Geordie.

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