‘Of course I’ve got high standards playing at a club like Sunderland’

Sunderland winger Aiden McGeady has hit back at comments from former Black Cats loanee Lewis Morgan criticising his poor attitude in the dressing room.

The 34-year-old has fou n d h i m s e l f out i n th e cold at the Stadium of Light under Phil Parkinson and spent the second half of last season out on loan with Charlton Athletic.

M c G e a d y ’s r e p u t at i o n on Wearside also suffered a blow when Morgan, who s p e nt a b r i e f s p e l l i n th e North East during Jack Ross’ time in the dugout, claimed that he was a “ruthless” character who often singled out his teammates for criticism.

Speaking to Si Ferry on the Open Goal podcast earlier this year, the Inter Miami winger said: "He [McGeady] is ruthless, I've never seen anyone that ruthless.

"H e'd c o m e i n – a n d I think we'd drew with Burton or something – and he came into the changing room and said 'yous can't play in front of that? Burton Albion? Wednesday night? One each? Yous will never play any higher than this.'

"Nob o dy wou l d s ay a nything to him. He would single someone out and everyone was scared of him."

McGeady has subsequently recorded an episode for Ferry’s show, and wasted little time in sharing his side of the story.

“The thing is, right, your interviews are supposed to be funny and light-hearted,” the veteran wide man told the host.

"I get that Morgy was trying to tell funny stories, but see the time and the place [was wrong], because obviously the situation I’m in at Sunderland.

"The story he told, I was ge tt i n g l o a d s o f g r i e f b e - cause he said I walked in the dressing room and said ‘yous a re n’ t go o d e n o u g h , yo u s can’t play at a higher level’.

"I’ve got a journalist ringing me right after that interview went out and he was l i ke ‘ L e w i s M o r g a n’s s a i d these comments, what have you got to say?’

"I wa s l i ke, ‘ l o o k m at e, t h i s i s w h at h a p p e n e d ’. I walked in the dressing room, we’d just drawn 2-2 against Accrington Stanley. No dish ave. I f y o u c a n’ t h a n d l e the fans getting on you out there against Accrington on a Tuesday night, you won’t [play at a higher level]’.

"You’ve got to be able to bottle that up, block that out, and deal with that pressure. T h at wa s wh at I s a i d , but Morgy made it sound like I went ‘Ha ha, you lot won’t play at a higher level’. That’s not what I said.