New Cats owner’s five key goals
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and his new executive team have outlined their five key strategic goals in their first meeting with supporters.
Louis-Dreyfus met representatives of the Sunderland Supporters' Collective last weekviazoom,inwhatwasthe first direct dialogue between fans and new owner.
The majority shareholder addressed supporters with a personal message on his visionforlong-termsustainability, before presenting a more specific overview of his plans and discussing the changes already implemented.
TheRed&WhiteArmysupporter group described it as a ‘verypositive’introductorysession.
The key targets outlined were:
- Establishing a high-performance culture across the club
- Developing a footballing philosophy based on Sunderland's values and identity
- Providing opportunities foryoungplayersthroughaholisticdevelopmentprogramme
- Evidence-based decision making, embracing data and technology
- Aligning and engaging with supporters, businesses and communities.
SportingdirectorKristjaan Speakmanaddressedsupporters on his role in the rebuild, citing a move towards a more attacking style and an aggressive press at first-team level that will be replicated across the club.
He also confirmed that the crucial head of player recruitment position has been filled, with the new recruit starting work in mid-April.
Speakman also confirmed that the club have appointed a new head of analysis and data, whobeganworkyesterday.The new appointment is understood to be James Young, who has previously worked at Deloitte, and ran his own analyticscompany,MahoeAnalytics.
Speakman also underlined the club's commitment to women's football and recognised supporter frustration with the loss of young talent from the academy under the previous regime.
Hestressedhisbackground inplayerdevelopmentandsaid he would play a key role in establishing player pathways moving forward.
Chief operating officer Steve
Davison addressed fans on the development of the businesssideoftheclub,discussing seasoncardrenewalplansthat were announced yesterday.
Davison also said that work was under way to bring back concerts from the summer of 2022, and said plans were in place to overhaul the stadium's catering offering, which has long been a major frustration for supporters.
Louis-Dreyfus committed to regular dialogue with the supporters' collective, and in his initial address stressed his desiretoprotectthelong-term future of the club.
"Firstly,Iamaverypassionate football fan, having grown up around this sport with my father," he said.
"Also, I grew up around the family business. The business is essentially growing and distributing food around the world and is celebrating its 170th anniversary this year.
"With having such a long history within a company that has stayed in the family for so long, it had to weather a lot of wars and crises over the last two centuries. We always gave the next generation two distinct values that I would like to share with you.
"Firstly, to understand and respect the responsibility that wehavetohelpfeedtheplanet, and secondly to always think long-termandtryandimprove the business in a way that ensures when the next generation takes over, they inherit a businessthatisbetterthanthe previous generation had.
"I will have the same two values at heart throughout my ownershipofthisfootballclub. I understand and respect the responsibility that I have. In the case of this club, it is to all the fans and to the community that cares so dearly about the clubandsecondly,Iwillalways think long-term to try and improve the club so that whoever comesaftermecancontinueto develop the club even further.
"I think regardless of how
long I will stay at this club, maybe 10, 15 or 20 years, I will only represent a small part of thisclub’srichhistory.However, I hope that this ownership and our era will be the start of a long-lasting and sustainable andhopefullymoresuccessful era for this football club.
"Iwouldnowliketoaddress thechanginginownershipand the changes in the board.
"While I am the largest shareholder at the club, Stewart[Donald],Juan[Sartori]and Charlie [Methven] will each retain a minority shareholding in the club and will support it as much as they can. I want to assureyou,Ihavetheexecutive control of the club and the majority on the board.
"Since the takeover was announced we have appointed two new directors – Igor Levin, who is our family’s attorney and used to be a former director at Marseille, and Patrick Treuer, who I am sure you will meet.HeisourCFOofourfamily business. Both of them will be joining our already existing directorsTomSloanesandDavid Jones.
"Moving forward we want theboardtobemoreactiveand a valuable support tool for the executive management. We will have regular board meetings going forward.
"Finally, I think it is important for me to say, we want to continue these structured dialogue meetings. We want to have these four times a year and I want this to be open and transparent between us. You can expect me to always be truthful, no matter if you like theanswersornot,Iwillalways be very transparent with you.
"All of you have been very close to the club, so you are all awarewhatadifficultsituation the club finds itself in with the pandemic and other reasons. It will require a lot of teamwork and effort from all of us together to weather out this pandemic."