According to reporter Alan Nixon, Sunderland are looking to hire Tom Weal, the goalkeeping coach of Carlisle United.
Sunderland have made significant changes this season. It’s paid off, too, with SAFC strongly in contention for automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
The Black Cats recruited Regis Le Bris as their new manager last summer. He has recently been given permission to add some more experienced players in addition to the regular developmental gems sought by the club.
The Frenchman has set about establishing his stamp on the coaching setup team, as a number of new faces arrive on Wearside.
Now it appears that another new coach will be joining Sunderland. According to reporter Alan Nixon’s Patreon page, the Championship promotion contenders are pursuing Carlisle United custodian coach Tom Weal.
SAFC and the League Two strugglers are poised to reach an agreement on a relocation to the Stadium of Light. Weal was absent from Cumbria’s defeat to Newport County on Tuesday and is scheduled to travel to the northeast.
The 34-year-old has been with the club since October 2024, but is poised to leave for pastures new.
Weal’s pedigree
Despite being only 34 years old, probable new Sunderland coach Weal has a great pedigree.
He’s been involved in goalie coaching for quite some time. Weal has held several positions at Norwich City throughout his career, including youth goalkeeping coach and academy goalkeeping coordinator.
He also worked in the junior setups at Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest before moving on to first-team football with Notts County, where he worked under Luke Williams, Ian Burchnall, and Stuart Maynard.
In the summer of 2024, he met Mike Williamson at MK Dons, where he later joined Carlisle United.
The on-pitch SAFC focus
While Sunderland works to bring Weal in, their present on-pitch focus is a big match against Leeds United on Monday night.
It’s a crucial game between two in-form promotion contenders, and despite their own confidence, SAFC will face a tough challenge against a Leeds team that appears to have found another gear in recent weeks.
The Black Cats are competing with Burnley, Sheffield United, and the Whites for a position in the top two, but an almost unstoppable pace is being set, so any slip-up would be costly, especially against a promotion competitor.
