Kevin Phillips has admitted that he believes that Sunderland should be aiming to consolidate their place in the Championship during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Black Cats sealed a return to this division under the guidance of manager Alex Neil earlier this year by defeating Wycombe Wanderers in the play-off final.

Preparations are underway for the club's return to the Championship as they have managed to engage in some transfer business this summer.

Jack Clarke has joined Sunderland on a permanent basis following his loan spell at the Stadium of Light last season whilst Daniel Ballard and Aji Alese have also recently sealed moves.

With the Black Cats set to face Coventry City on July 31st, it will be interesting to see whether they are able to sign some players in the coming weeks.

Making reference to Sunderland, Phillips has revealed that he doesn't believe that the club will immediately challenge for promotion to the Premier League and should instead be looking to consolidate their position in the second-tier.

Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, the former Black Cats striker said: "For me, it's just about consolidating.

"Of course, you have to set your targets and set the bar high, but it took them four years to get out of League One and so they're not just going to go into the Championship now and challenge at the top of the league."

Phillips later added: "They've made big strides but staying in the league is [a] priority and I don't see that being an issue.

"I think they can build from that and more than that, if they get to the play-offs, that would be fantastic for them and I hope they do so.

"But just consolidating, staying in the league and just building on that process as the years come by and hopefully they're striding to be where they once were - which is the Premier League."

The Verdict

This is a sensible view from Phillips as Sunderland cannot afford to get carried away when they return to the Championship.

By managing their expectations and focusing on achieving safety, the Black Cats will be able to build a foundation that they can use to reach new heights in the coming years.

Having already bolstered his squad by signing three players, Neil could potentially boost Sunderland's chances of making a positive start to the new term by drafting in some classy operators between now and the end of the window.

If Neil nails his recruitment, it wouldn't be at all surprising if his side goes on to produce some eye-catching displays in the second-tier.