Derek Ferguson reveals ‘wind-up’ assumption after Sunderland appointed Michael Beale
Derek Ferguson thought it was a “wind-up” when he discovered Sunderland were appointing Michael Beale last season.
The Scotsman – who started his career with Rangers, another of Beale’s former clubs – described the 12-game stint as “absolutely shocking” and is now glad the club appear to be progressing again under Regis Le Bris.
Beale was sacked from Ibrox under huge fan pressure in October last year, and moved to Sunderland shortly before Christmas.
He lasted until just February in a disastrous spell at the Stadium of Light on and off the pitch, after which the club limped to a paltry 16th-place finish in the Championship having reached the play-offs a year prior.
Ferguson, speaking exclusively to Mackem News, said: “I was absolutely puzzled when they took Michael Beale in as manager. I could not believe that.
“Somebody told me, I got a phone call and somebody said Michael Beale. I thought they were having a wind-up with me, I thought they were joking.
“Because I looked at how he’d destroyed [Rangers] and then over three or four months he goes in at Sunderland and it was absolutely shocking. I’m just glad that they’ve started [this] season well.”
Sunderland fly from the traps this season
Sunderland disappointed their supporters last season, and while Beale was front-facing, he was the tip of the iceberg when it came to responsibility over the torrid end to the campaign.
But many of the same people guilty of the misdemeanours last year have corrected their errors this time around, at least at this stage, with a relatively unknown quantity in Le Bris enjoying a league start which has overseen five wins in six.
Only West Bromwich Albion have begun the season in better form, though the two do not face one another until late November and the Black Cats have already beaten the likes of Burnley and Middlesbrough under the Frenchman.
Beale’s reign was simply a massive error in judgement, bowing to the risk and temptation of a man who required no compensation after his Rangers sacking, and who had a point to prove which never came to fruition.
With the fanbase on his case from day one, it never looked promising and the club agreed with the former QPR boss to part ways just 12 games later – which included a Wear-Tyne derby defeat by Newcastle United.
Le Bris has so far come in solo – further backroom appointments are yet to materialise – but that has not stopped the 48-year-old in his first duties in English football with Sunderland seemingly back on the up.
In other Sunderland news, Manchester United step up their pursuit of Chris Rigg.
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