Don Goodman’s message for Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Sunderland chiefs

Don Goodman has sent a clear message to Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman.

The EFL pundit and former Sunderland player, when discussing how Sunderland’s season has imploded, laid the blame on the club’s hierarchy, explaining that they need to accept they got it wrong when it came to Tony Mowbray.

Don Goodman sends message to Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman
Not only did Goodman mean this in terms of sacking Mowbray, but also suggested that they should have backed the former Black Cats more in terms of bringing in a few more experienced players into the squad.

Speaking to King Casino Bonus, via Sunderland Nation, Goodman made his verdict clear: “Sunderland’s board have pretty much said ‘We’ve messed up so badly that we have blown our play-off chances.’ It’s an acknowledgement of their mistake and putting Mike Dodds in charge is an attempt to stabilise.”

“I think they are out of the relegation battle, despite never thinking I would say that, but Sunderland are out of the play-off race. They are a young group that needs some help from experience, which is what Tony Mowbray was being refused.

“It wouldn’t be fair to say Sunderland have capitulated but it’s the type of games they have lost in this sequence which is disappointing. They were on the periphery of the play-off spots and lost to Birmingham, Huddersfield and Swansea.

“Even if you’re the most stubborn member of Sunderland’s hierarchy, you have to reflect and say ‘We made a mistake, we should have stuck with Tony Mowbray.’ Who knows where they would have been in the summer, there was a feel-good factor around the place.”

Goodman: Feel-good factor left Sunderland following Mowbray dismissal

When Mowbray left the club, Sunderland turned to former Rangers boss Michael Beale to take the team forward, but after just 12 games in charge, he too was sacked.

This came as no surprise to Goodman, though, who says that he was not shocked to see the club go backwards following Mowbray’s sacking as the feel-good factor around the club disappeared once he was relieved of his duties.

“The minute Tony gets sacked, that feel-good factor disappears and all of a sudden Michael Beale is under pressure after coming in because the fans don’t want him. Fan power is absolutely massive,” Goodman added.

“This is a young group of players with barely any senior ones to help guide them through choppy waters. It’s very hard as a young player to hear your own fans boo you off the pitch and listen to them voice their displeasure at the new head coach. I’m really not surprised that Sunderland have gone backwards since Tony Mowbray left.

“Michael Beale tried to make Sunderland more solid and difficult to play against but took away what we loved about Sunderland, their free-flowing and fearless style of play. Once that was gone, it was only a matter of time until he would lose his job.

“Mike Dodds is in charge and did a decent job before but reality is kicking in. It’s an audition for him which is not going well.”

As Goodman eludes to, with Mike Dodds now in interim charge at the club, results on the pitch have been no better.

Since Michael Beale was sacked, Dodds has overseen three Championship matches, all of which ended in defeat.