Sunderland's potential new owners have a huge early decision to make at the club.

Recent days have seen major changes at Sunderland with Chris Coleman sacked and the ownership of the club looking set to change hands after a hugely disappointing season from the Black Cats.

Preparations are underway for next season already as they aim to keep their stay in League One to a minimum. Whoever they bring in will have a huge task on their hands, even with a significant transfer budget, due to the high expectations which will mean results are needed in the short-term.

Here are three managers they should avoid appointing as Chris Coleman's replacement...

Alan Pardew would be a very divisive choice, to say the least.

There's no inclination Sunderland are going after him but there can be no doubt if they did fans would come down on them like a ton of bricks.

Pardew has Newcastle connections, of course, whilst he's also had a shocking time at West Brom of late so this idea would go down like a lead balloon.

Stam is fairly experienced due to his two seasons at Reading, but that was his first job in management as the main role. His time in Reading was filled with severe fluctuations because he took them to the play-off final in his first season before being sacked with the club close to relegation this year.

His style was expansive and possession based, which is common in the modern game, but lacked the excitement that often comes with teams that play that way. The entertainment that a manager provides with his style of play won't be the most important criteria for the board, but it's likely to be considered which will count against Stam.

There are too many uncertainties around his record, so they should avoid appointing him.

McDermott's last two managerial roles ended with him leaving after a disappointing spell at clubs, although he does have a promotion on his CV from when he took Reading up to the Premier League in 2012 during his first spell in charge.

They can't afford to take a risk on someone who has struggled in his recent managerial spells even if he has had previous success. McDermott isn't a convincing candidate even though he has plenty of experience. The Black Cats either need an up-and-coming manager who has worked his way up the leagues or an experienced manager with sustained success throughout his career, and McDermott doesn't fit either of those.