ELLIS SHORT would scrap Sunderland’s sporting director structure if it helped to land the right manager after years of struggling at the wrong end of the Premier League.

The Sunderland owner is open-minded about the next step as he considers the contenders to replace Dick Advocaat, who has effectively admitted he did not have the fight in him for another relegation battle after successfully keeping the club up in his nine matches last season.

Short has instructed Lee Congerton, the current sporting director working his notice after handing in his resignation, to help find Advocaat’s successor and Sam Allardyce and Sean Dyche are two of the leading candidates.

Brendan Rodgers, sacked by Liverpool on Sunday, has also been mentioned but the chances of landing him would appear slim so soon after his Anfield exit, while Nigel Pearson continues to be linked. Former Inter Milan boss Walter Mazzari was heavily backed at the bookmakers yesterday.

Congerton has a fixed contract with a year-long notice period, so Sunderland are within their rights to ask him to help find the club’s fifth boss in just two-and-a-half years. Whether that is as a head coach or a manager remains unclear and undecided inside the boardroom.

A change in outlook would strengthen Allardyce’s chances of landing the role, as he would ask to become a manager and have greater control over transfers - an area that has caused problems at the Stadium of Light for Advocaat, Gus Poyet and Paolo di Canio.

Sunderland’s player recruitment during the summer was one of Advocaat’s biggest frustrations and ultimately paved the way for his exit after failing to oversee a win in the opening eight Premier League matches.

Coaching a team struggling to climb out of the bottom three quickly took its toll on the 68-year-old, who has entered retirement from club management. He could yet reappear on the international stage.

He revealed that he informed Sunderland of his decision to leave before Saturday’s 2-2 draw with West Ham, despite refusing to confirm his future in either his pre or post match press conference.

Advocaat said: “I already made my decision last week, but the club asked me to do the match against West Ham and I really wanted to finish this in style.

“The struggle against relegation is not my cup of tea. I think it was time for someone else to take over at Sunderland. I became negative and that didn't feel like myself.

“I don't regret signing my new contract, because it was a great experience. Our squad was simply not good enough. The club knew that we had to strengthen ourselves, but the chairman never told me how much we could spend.”

Sunderland want Advocaat’s successor in place for the trip to West Brom on October 17 and are expected to move on potential targets this week.

Burnley boss Dyche remains in Sunderland’s thinking, but the former Watford manager saw no reason to speculate on the chances of him taking over on Wearside when he was asked yesterday.

He said: “It’s a paper story. That’s all I know, my focus is still here, that’s all I can do. It’s nothing to do with me. I know nothing of it. It’s a story from a paper. Somehow I’m engaged in that. I’m not. I’m here, I want to win games. I’m getting on with it.

“I shouldn’t have to answer to it really but if you want me to I’m happy getting on with what we’re doing.”

Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is another to have been linked, although he is unlikely to move to the North-East from his south coast home even though he does know Short. He also suggested Allardyce will be careful before rushing into any job.

Redknapp said: “I have played in a golf day up at Skibo Castle, which he (Short) owns, but I have never spoken to anyone about the job and no one has ever asked me about anything.

“I was with him [Allardyce] last week and had a good chat with him and he said he was enjoying the break at the moment. He is not going to dive into something.

“It is a difficult one for someone to take because they really are going to struggle to stay up. It is not impossible, but it is going to be difficult.

“Sam has done fantastic wherever has been and if he does go in there and it doesn’t happen [at Sunderland], does he need that? I don’t know, it is a difficult one.”