Sport 08-10-2002 O`Leary Wants Sunderland Job who: Sunderland what: Sack Peter Reid after seven years as manager where: Stadium Of Light, SUNDERLAND when: Yesterday snippet: "David O`Leary told Sunderland last night: `If you want the kind of manager who is going to take on Newcastle then I am the man`," reckons The Mirror this morning after Sunderland chairman Bob Murray "finally ran out of patience and sacked Peter Reid to end 10 months of anguish for the beleaguered Scouser and the club`s long-suffering fans". "O`Leary, who left Leeds United this summer, is the overwhelming favourite to succeed Reid, whose many achievements during his long spell in the North East will ensure a solid legacy for whoever replaces him," says George Caulkin in The Times. "Sunderland`s league position, seventeenth, may be off-putting, but the prospect of 48,000 crowds at the Stadium of Light, a brand new training academy and a sound financial footing are gilt-edged attractions." "I`m sure his services will be snapped up quickly by another club and he`ll be successful again," said Murray yesterday, admitting that it had been a difficult decision and insisting that Reid had saved the club from relegation in the 2001-2002 season. "I have no hesitation in giving Peter a glowing reference, as he`s been a great and committed manager to work with." At the peak of Reid`s Sunderland career, the club was in seventh place in the Premiership, recalls The Guardian`s Michael Walker. "But their record since the beginning of 2002 has been meagre - five wins in 27 Premiership matches - and reached rock bottom when he questioned publicly his players` commitment after the derby defeat at Newcastle." [... more]

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