Sunderland fans have every right to be disappointed after losing to Scunthorpe United in the EFL Trophy last night. The manner in which the team lost indicates that the problems at Sunderland Football Club are deep-rooted. And perhaps disappointed isn’t even the right term to use when describing Sunderland supporters right now. A more appropriate term would be angry.
This anger is not directed at the players, however. It isn’t even directed at manager Phil Parkinson. Instead, these fans suggest that club owner Stewart Donald is to blame. They believe that his inadequacy to properly run a football club is the root of the problem. They want him to change his ways and to show some leadership.
Donald is a coward !!! When things were rosy he loved getting all the plaudits, downing pints at Trafalger Square. He has now made massive errors inept signings, inept managerial appointments and unqualified mates running academy killing the club at all levels #disgusted
— john bell (@pootzwar) November 13, 2019
When’s Stewart going to get out of little huff and sort this mess out. A lot of questions to be answered come January
— kyle (@kylemurg) November 12, 2019
He won’t know. Ran as soon as fans questioned him. Yes some fans went too far with the abuse. For me he has to sell the club. Clearly he not someone who can lead from the front. Running the club as a non league club was always gonna end up a disaster
— John (@johnml88) November 13, 2019
Time for leadership!! Time to evaluate (very quickly) if all is well, then take immediate action or it’s another season in this division. Time for SD to tell fans WHY the so called takeover did not happen
— BarryMcGregor (@macbazz) November 13, 2019
The club hierarchy can’t even pull together
— dullskuggery (@MaxHanaghan) November 12, 2019
Out of the depth. Completely.
— Michael (@mich_aelo) November 12, 2019
Some fans believe Donald’s inability to strengthen the playing squad is the biggest issue. To them, poor recruitment has been the main contributor to Sunderland’s continued fall from graces.
Maybe if they had done the improving in the playing squad in the summer we wouldn’t be in this mess
— Paul ‘boo’ Scott (@theboovont) November 12, 2019
He’s not spent a penny of his own money. Let’s start there
— steve (@djbraithless) November 12, 2019
What do we think?
Results just aren’t going Sunderland’s way. At the end of the day, any CEO of an underperforming company is going to be in the firing line of the stakeholders. And with many Sunderland supporters having all their emotional stakes invested in the club, they have cause to demand more. The club need a massive turnaround if they want to claw their way back up to the Championship, but there is only one man who can make that happen in the eyes of these fans. The ball is in your court, Stewart.