Kieran Maguire: ‘Bad vibes spreading like bacteria’ at Sunderland after Donald issues statement
The lack of transparency around the ownership of Sunderland has left a “sour taste in the mouth” that could take some time to fade.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’ “lack of transparency”.
The 23-year-old bought a controlling stake in Sunderland in February last year but until recently failed to state exactly how much of the club he owns.
The Athletic reported on Tuesday (15 February) that he has now confessed that he has just 41 per cent of the Black Cats’ shares.
Three prominent members of the previous regime – Stewart Donald, Juan Sartori, and Charlie Methven – own the remaining 59 per cent.
Per Chronicle Live on Wednesday (16 February), Donald has issued a statement claiming he is “happy to sell his remaining shares internally.”
Maguire claims that on-pitch success is the only thing that could turn the tide in the court of public opinion at the Stadium of Light.
“The evasiveness and the lack of transparency have left a sour taste,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“There has been no attempt to be proactive in expressing the nature of the shareholdings. It will take some time to recover from that.
“But if they get promoted this season, success is s very good form of disinfectant.
“If you are performing poorly, as they have been, the bad vibes spread like bacteria very quickly.”
Sunderland are in their fourth consecutive season in the fourth their and are no longer in receipt of parachute payments.
They lost £2.6million in the last recorded financial year.
In other news, Kevin Phillips issues “huge” Alex Neil claim after “meeting him a few times”.