Mick Beale secures new job after Sunderland AFC exit | OneFootball

Michael Beale oversaw just 12 games as Sunderland manager last season

Former Sunderland manager Michael Beale has moved onto the next role in his career.

According to Give Me Sport, the coach has taken on an assistant role under Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq.

Beale’s stint at Sunderland was short-lived, with the 44-year-old only overseeing 12 games before being dismissed in February of 2024 for a poor run of form.

The Black Cats have since moved on to French coach Régis Le Bris, who has the team competing for promotion to the Premier League.

Beale also worked in England with QPR, where he also had a short stint, departing after only 22 games in order to take charge of Scottish giants Rangers.

Michael Beale finds next job after Sunderland sacking

Beale is set to reunite with Gerrard in Saudi Arabia, with the pair previously working together at both Rangers and Aston Villa.

Their partnership led to great success in Glasgow, with their side winning a first Premiership title in a decade in 2021.

They both moved to Aston Villa shortly after, but Beale opted to depart his role as number two in order to become a number one at QPR.

Beale’s start to life at QPR earned him the chance to return as manager at Rangers, but he was unable to replicate the same success without Gerrard alongside him.

The coach was sacked in October 2023 after 43 games, which led to him taking charge of Sunderland just two months later, replacing Tony Mowbray in the dugout.

Beale has been out of work since February, but is now set to return to his assistant role under Gerrard in the Saudi Pro League.

The former Liverpool midfielder has been with Al-Ettifaq since July 2023, and has led 48 matches with the club.

Al-Ettifaq finished sixth in the table last season, and currently sit 12th in this campaign’s standings.

Michael Beale’s disastrous Sunderland stint

Beale’s tenure at Sunderland got off to a poor start, as the circumstances surrounding Mowbray’s dismissal were not popular.

The Black Cats lost six of his 12 games in charge, plummeting down the Championship table in the process.

This run of form ended their chances of a play-off place, having come sixth under Mowbray in the previous campaign.

The Wearside outfit ultimately finished 16th in the table, just six points clear of the relegation zone after Mike Dodds took charge on an interim basis for the remainder of the term.

Sunderland supporters will be glad Michael Beale saga is behind them

The saga surrounding Beale’s time at Sunderland created a lot of tension between the supporters and the people running the club.

Mowbray was a popular figure as head coach, meaning Beale was immediately on the backfoot when he arrived.

Their poor form didn’t help, followed by a lengthy, protracted search to find a replacement in the summer.