It's safe to say that Phil Parkinson hasn't had the best of starts to life at Sunderland this season, and that continued on Tuesday evening.Â
Sunderland were beaten 2-1 by Burton Albion at the Stadium of Light, a result which leaves them 11th in the League One table heading into the festive period.
It means that Parkinson has won just two games since taking charge of the Black Cats, and he'll know that results simply have to improve if they're to stand any chance of challenging for a top-six finish.
This dismal start to life in charge of Sunderland has left plenty of supporters wanting the former Bolton manager out at the earliest of opportunities.
Former Sunderland man Michael Gray has voiced his opinion on their problems, and felt that Kevin Phillips should be appointed as their new manager to take them forward.
Phillips doesn't have any managerial experience, but has worked as a coach at a relatively high level in the past, with the former Sunderland striker working as a coach alongside Gary Rowett whilst at Stoke before he was sacked.Â
It's set to be an interesting festive period for Sunderland, and the club could have a bold decision to make if results don't improve in the near future.
Sunderland are next in action this weekend when they take on struggling Gillingham on Saturday in a game where they simply have to pick up three points.
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The Verdict:
He's certainly made a valid point.
Sometimes clubs need to take risks on appointing managers that might not have much experience, but know the club inside and out.
I'm not convinced that Parkinson was the right man for the job here, and appointing someone like Phillips could be the right approach for Sunderland.
But they need to act fast if they're going to make that decision, otherwise they could well be out of the running for promotion this season.