Mike Dodds in the dark over Sunderland head coach plans ahead of expected update

MIKE Dodds insists he remains in the dark over Sunderland's head coach plans - with the interim boss expecting an update from the club's hierarchy after Saturday's game against Sheffield Wednesday.

Dodds' second stint in charge will come to an end this weekend when the Owls visit the Stadium of Light, with the Black Cats set to make a permanent head coach appointment in the coming weeks.

Sunderland's plans remain unclear, with the search for a new boss taking a fresh twist this week when Will Still - a target back in December after Tony Mowbray's exit - left Reims. Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl is admired by the Black Cats but Wednesday's expected survival would make a move for the German difficult. Paul Heckingbottom remains a candidate, while Bayern Munich Under-19s boss Rene Maric has been heavily linked in Germany this week.

Dodds will be part of the new-look coaching team in the summer, but as things stand he says he doesn't know who'll be in charge next term.

"You know as much as I do. I really want to give you something but you know as much as I do," he said at his press conference on Friday morning.

"I felt with the group at times it's been one step forward and two back with a solid performance and then we follow that with a couple of what I've described as boring performances. I think that sometimes comes with young young people but I wont accept that as an excuse and the club won't. We want to get back to the Premier League so consistency is important.

"But to get back to the question, you know as much as I do, I've been focusing on the team. I'm presuming I might get an update after Saturday. I'll wait for people above me to kind of update me. My focus is purely on the games."

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Sunderland are looking to end a difficult season on a high note on Saturday against Wednesday.

The Black Cats have won just two of 12 games during Dodds' second stint, which came after Michael Beale's turbulent tenure.

Wednesday need a point on Wearside to guarantee Championship survival.