Sunderland interim head coach Mike Dodds insists he's thoroughly enjoying his spell in charge of first-team duties but doesn't want this tenure to be viewed as his own development programme.

The highly rated coach has been tipped to manage the Black Cats on a permanent basis, but the 37-year-old has reiterated it must be the right time and the right stage of his coaching career.

As things stands, Dodds will oversee the remaining 11 Championship fixtures between now and the end of the season, but he's under no illusion he must start winning games.

READ MORE: Mike Dodds' every word ahead of Sunderland vs Leicester City

Sunderland have lost the last four games on the bounce - two under Michael Beale and two under Dodds since he was handed the reins on the back of a successful period following Tony Mowbray's departure back ion December.

"I'm really enjoying it," he told We Are Sunderland. "I'm really conscious around answering this because what I don't want this to feel like is, it's the Mike Dodds development programme. Do you know what I mean?

"I know that the club have entrusted me in this role and I've got to win games of football. But like I've said previously, the last time went really well.

"I felt last time I had a lot of things go in my favour which helps you as a coach. Then this time you take over and you have one or two cards taken off the table and you've got to find solutions.

"From my perspective, I'm really enjoying it. Weirdly, I quite enjoy the pressure. I quite enjoy the questioning. The 'why are you doing this?' 'Why are you doing that?' 'What's your thoughts on this?' 

"Because I've always said if I haven't got a logical answer top the questions, I shouldn't be doing it. I always go back to that point. Any question that gets thrown at me, I need to have a real logical answer.

"In terms of the players, I back myself in terms of what I do on the grass. That's not an arrogance. I'm really confident in terms of the stuff I do on the grass. 

"I think the bit I'm finding out about myself now is, there's a lot more to this job than setting a team up, designing sessions, dealing with individuals, managing group dynamics. There's all the things - you've lost your best player, how are you going to manage that?

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"The reality is, people don't care. They just want to win games of football. Nobody is going to feel sorry for Mike Dodds because he's lost the players that he's lost because we've lost the last two games.

"So, to answer your question, I'm in a good spot. I'm not in a good spot because I want to win games of football and I feel the burden and the pressure from the fans because I know how important the football club is.

"I do feel that. But, in terms of the day-to-day and what's going on I feel really comfortable."