As Sunderland's search for a manager reaches its 14th day, there seems to be no clear indication of who will take one of the most taxing jobs in football.

Aitor Karanka, Paul Heckingbottom,  Nathan Jones and club legend Peter Reid have all been linked with the post at varying points in the two weeks since Simon Grayson left the Stadium of Light hotseat vacant.

Sunderland fans have seen an unprecedented nosedive to the bottom of the Championship and are agonising for some light to be shed on the managerial situation, but they may have more clarity after the international break

Club captain John O'Shea , who has also been a favourite for the job at one stage, could well be lined up to take his first step into management, depending on the outcome of Ireand's second leg of their World Cup play off with Denmark.

It was widely thought that Grayson's replacement would have been announced well before now given the imminent nature of his sacking, just minutes after the 3-3 home draw with Bolton.

Perhaps Chief Executive Martin Bain has been holding out to offer O'Shea the job should Ireland come up short at Croke Park on Tuesday, as the veteran centre back is likely to continue his playing career in order to partake in the Russia World Cup should they qualify.

This theory would certainly fit in nicely with Bain's remit of cutting operational costs and subsidising the sizeable debt the club has plunged itself into in recent years, and O'Shea has been tipped to be a future manager at the Stadium of Light when he does hang up his boots.

It remains to be seen whether if O'Shea would continue his playing duties should he be offered the manager's job, but explain the ponderous nature of Sunderland's appointment or lack of.