EPL Manager Talk: 10 Potential Replacements for Steve Bruce at Sunderland

Steve Bruce has parted company with Sunderland. He has left the club in a poor position, but things could be a lot worse.  The club has a big stadium and an owner with deep pockets, which will be appealing to any new manager.

Sunderland could have their pick of any manager outside the top 10 of the Premier League, question is, who will they get?

Here's the look at the 10 managers will be favorites to be the new manager  and the chances each manager will have at the club.

Billy Davies is a man that has proven himself in the Championship, but not in the Premier League.

Sacked by Nottingham Forest despite reaching the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, Davies is currently unemployed.

His only spell in the Premier League was short lived.  After gaining promotion with Derby County, Davies was a flop in the top flight.  He left the club before Christmas having earned just six points.

Davies has had some time out of the limelight, and his unjust sacking at Forest could help him win over the board at Sunderland.  

Most Sunderland fans will be hoping Davies is not the man to take over.  Especially with his record in the Premier League.  Can't see this being a good appointment for Sunderland.

Steve MccLaren is still based in the Northeast of England and could be one of the applicants sending in a CV to Sunderland.

Before his disastrous spell at Nottingham Forest, he might just have been taken seriously.  But, surely it is not the time for MccLaren to return to the Premier League.

Well, stranger things have happened.  But, this is another appointment that would probably be a bad move for Sunderland.

Rafa Benitez has been enjoying working for the media since his departure from Inter Milan in late 2010.

A year on from that, and Sunderland could be a great opportunity for him to get back into management.

Benitez proved at Liverpool he has a great understanding of English football, and is more than capable of guiding teams to cup success.

He won't be able to work any miracles, but all Sunderland are looking for is a solid showing in the Premier League, along with a cup run or two.  For the time being, anyway.

Benitez is a man that can provide that for Sunderland.  The one problem he could have is with owner Ellis Short.

Having troublesome relationships with American owners at Anfield, and the owners of Inter, will not sit well with the American billionaire.

Perhaps a little ambitious for Sunderland, but a good outside bet for the role.  His appointment would be a real positive move, and in the long term he could bring success to the club.

Paul Peschisolido is a real long shot for the job, but it is hard to see why.  The Canadian has performed well as Burton manager in the past two seasons.  His side currently sits well inside the playoffs in League Two.

He is a young and exciting manager that could give Sunderland a big boost.  It would be a huge step up for Peschisolido, but he will have to make it at some point.

This one would be a good and positive move from Sunderland, if a little risky.

Carlo Ancelotti would be an incredible appointment for Sunderland.  The Italian won the double with Chelsea and has a superb reputation as a manager.

His sacking from Chelsea was a mystery to many, but such is life when owners are rich and impatient. 

Ancelotti will almost certainly be a name mentioned in the boardroom at Sunderland.  What remains to be seen is if they take him seriously.  Do they get ambitious and go for the Italian, or do they assume he won't be interested.

Owner Ellis Short, and the supporters are extremely ambitious, but would Ancelotti take over at a club in Sunderland's position?  Probably not, but he's an outside bet anyway.

Another manager that would signify a real positive attitude from the board.  Like Benitez, he is a manager that could bring silverware to Sunderland in the long term.

There isn’t really a lot we can say about Lee Clarke, other than his side has the longest unbeaten run in English League football, ever.

That run may have been put to an end recently, but to go over 40 games unbeaten, across two seasons, is an incredible accomplishment, especially for a team like Huddersfield.

Clarke is a manager who looks after his players physically and appears to be a forward thinker, both on and off the field.  It is surely only a matter of time before he joins the Premier League elite.

As a former Sunderland player, he would be the ideal candidate for the club.  But, ask any Sunderland fan what they think of him and you won't be able to repeat the response.

Clarke left Sunderland after being spotted wearing a t-shirt abusing Sunderland fans.  He would not be a popular choice.  

When only football is mentioned, Clarke would be a great appointment.  When supporters and previous events are considered, then this is a terrible option for Sunderland.

Mark Hughes was almost instantly the favourite to become the new Sunderland manager on Twitter.  Within hours of the announcement Hughes had become a trending topic, along with Sunderland.

The former Manchester United player was removed from his position as Manchester City manager after beating Sunderland in 2009.  The new wealthy owners preferring to bring in Roberto Mancini.

Hughes then spent a season at Fulham, but chose not to resign in a somewhat puzzling move. Since then Hughes has been without a job.

Sunderland have had former Manchester United players previously.  Both Roy Keane and Steve Bruce being former team mates of Hughes.

A man with a decent, yet uninspiring record in management.  His appointment would not disappoint initially, but fans will soon realise he is just another Steve Bruce style manager.  

Capable of getting results and staying safe, but won't achieve a whole lot.  In the short term a very good appointment.  Long term Sunderland will struggle to go any further under Hughes.

Nigel Clough has quietly build himself a reputation as a decent manager.  Spending a decade with Burton Albion learning his trade as a player manager, he is now in charge at Derby County.

His record with Derby is not great, and he is becoming known as a bit of a wheeler-dealer character.  A lot of players coming in and out of Pride Park.  

The main link with Sunderland is through his father, the legendary Brian Clough.  Clough senior was a Sunderland player until injury cut short his career.  His son, Nigel Clough was subsequently born in the City.

Sunderland doesn't need another manager to come in and clear out the squad.  Both Roy Keane and Steve Bruce have done that in recent years.  The main worry for Sunderland is if Clough will do the same.  

Despite that, Clough is a man who would likely unite the support at Sunderland, in his early days anyway.  Maybe that will be enough to get him the job.

Like Mark Hughes, Clough is likely to be a good short term option.  In the long term though, this could be a bad move for a Sunderland board that have already cleared the squad out twice in five years.

Uwe Rosler is a man just starting out in English management.  Having only been at Brentford for six months, a move might seem unlikely.  But, the lure of the Premier League will probably prove too much for Rosler.

Having gained a lot of experience managing in Norway, Rosler is likely to desire a return to the Premier League, where he spent a lot of his playing days.

Rosler will bring in a continental approach to Sunderland, which could be the boost needed.  A new manager with a totally new system, both on and off the field, might be a big appeal to the board at Sunderland.

The German would be a fantastic manager for Sunderland.  Securing Premier League football in his first season before transforming the club into a modern and continental style club.

Martin O'Neill is a manager that is often mentioned by Sunderland supporters.  Although there is no solid link between O'Neill and Sunderland, he is likely to be an early favorite for the job.

O'Neill has admitted to being a Sunderland supporter as a youngster.  This is usually reason enough for a manager to be linked strongly to a club, so expect to see his name a lot.

The Irishman O'Neill has been without a job since leaving Aston Villa just before the start of the season in 2010.  

He has been making a lot of television appearances to cover Champions League football, and Sunderland could find it difficult to lure him away from that pressure free environment.

O'Neill will be a popular appointment in Sunderland, and will be a relatively good long term option. He will spend money without threatening the top six, but will provide supporters with more entertaining football and a more secure standing in the league.