That fancy title will give Bally responsibility for Sunderland's reserve and under-21 squads after he stepped up from his previous position as coach to the youth team and assistant academy manager.
The hugely popular former Sunderland captain, who spent the last two seasons of his playing career with Burnley, has now been back with the club in a coaching capacity for almost ten years, during which he spent a short time as caretaker manager following the departure of Mick McCarthy in 2006.