Freddy Shepherd is denying any interest in the "availability" of Sam Allerdyce, but he would not be doing his job if he was not very concerned about the sudden rise of the Red and White Army eight miles down the road.
And when I say that I have to admit I'm growing increasingly concerned about next season. Roy Keane is the rookie manager in the Premiership next term, but with Glenn Roeder's past record - relegating West Ham and Watford - I'm not sure if that is classed as experience! It's certainly not an "experience" we want.
Is Shepherd happy with Roeder? Are the fans happy with Roeder? If Shepherd IS considering Big Sam as new manager, he was given an extra spur in the past 24 hours - United's defeat at Reading and the Mackem promotion.
Sunderland are winning the PR battle under the leadership of Niall Quinn. The chairman has held talk-ins and gone out to meet the supporters rather than mocking them for buying overpriced replica shirts, as Shepherd so notoriously did on a debauched night with the News of the World's fake sheikh.
Perhaps we should forgive and forget. Who am I to say? But Shepherd and Douglas Hall have long been the laughing stock we could have done without. We want rid of the "Geordie cloth cap image" not promote it.
Sunderland have realised that the most important man in the organisation is the manager ... NOT the chairman. And Shepherd should take note.
Roeder made my mind up after a horror show at St James' when the team looked short of ideas and leadership and he said: "It's not up to the manager to motivate players ... the players have to do it themselves".
Try telling Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson that!