We’ve all been Short-changed
COLEMAN BLASTS CHAIRMAN ELLIS FOR ‘FALLING OUT OF LOVE’ WITH BLACK CATS AS THE SALE PRICE IS SET AT £50M
CHAMPIONSHIP crisis club Sunderland is up for sale for £50million.
Boss Chris Coleman yesterday admitted owner Ellis Short has fallen out of love with football, and appealed for a new tycoon to take charge. Years of bad decisions and poor form on the pitch have left the Black Cats facing consecutive relegations. Mirror Sport has been told that at one point in the Premier League Sunderland were giving away 9,000 tickets a game. Current MD Martin Bain has scrapped that freebie drain on income. But he also inherited several bad deals, a huge wage bill and has spent 18 months cleaning it up ready for a sale. US-based billionaire Short (below) wants out and has effectively handed over the keys to Bain and Coleman, and doesn’t want to spend any more cash.
A source said: “The club has very good infrastructure and nothing hiding under the bonnet now. The club needs a buyer.”
Bain was the target for abuse during the defeat by Brentford at the weekend – but he has had to slash Short’s subsidy, which at one point ran at £25m a year, and has little leeway to invest in players.
Sunderland now have a £35m wage bill and another season with a £35m parachute payment from the Premier League.
A German buyer failed to prove they were serious, but the hunt is on for another.
Coleman said: “Ellis wants to sell the club. His love for the club was maybe yesterday. Until we get someone that wants to turn a corner and love it, and care for it, and look after it... hence the negativity.
“We know the anger and frustration. We take it on the chin until we get a new owner.
“People vent their anger somewhere. Martin is the frontman for that. “But for me, 15 years a manager, I have not worked for a better chief exec. We understand people will vent there anger.
“Our supporters need people here who care about the club as much as they do.”
Sunderland face Bolton tonight then a derby against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Coleman said: “We are hurting and suffering. Do other teams have more fight than Sunderland? Over 90 minutes, yes.
“Who could blame our fans for feeling like they do? You couldn’t.”