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Speakman gone


Brian_Mooney said:
I'm not sure he gets that credit. Think without Ghisolfi we would probably have been a Championship club next season.

Very little Premier League quality in his signings. Very good job given his budget but also very lucky to get promoted, he was not scouting Mukiele, Alderette, Mandava, Le Fee, Xhaka, Bobby, Isidor etc..
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He was scouting Trai Hume and Dan Ballard, like. He scouted Mayenda who got us through he play offs.

I don't see this need to bag on last season's setup when that is why we are able to improve on that this year. If we hadn't made money through Clarke, Stewart and Bellingham, would we be able to spend as much as we did?

If we take the statement at face value and say Speakman has done nothing since July 2025, he still left us in a position much much better both financially and in terms of talent on the pitch then he found us.

Sae with Roberts, Patterson, Neil, O'Nien and the rest, just because they've been upgraded doesn't mean their service wasn't very valuable to us. Don't see why we can't give them credit. For me, I'll always think of that entire team, Speakman included, very fondly.
 
The Cabbage said:
Is it really that bizarre? He’s building a squad. He’s sorting contracts. He’s deciding on the long term pathway for these players. He’s also thinking about the replacements that are potentially already in the building and how they’ll be taking the jobs of the first XI within time. My own preference is that is done with a little distance. Motivation on a match day really doesn’t fall within his remit. And to be fair I did say that this is very much a personal preference.

What’s perhaps more important is the other part of that post. Ghisolfi simply cannot afford to be as first XI focused as he has appeared so far. His remit has got a hell of a lot bigger today.
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It is. It’s just a personality thing. You say there’s no rhyme or reason then you say you just don’t like him being close to players or how he acts. It’s just weird and a bizarre take in someone who is invested in the club.

We should be applauding it rather than wanting a Bain type around the club, and I don’t mean as in competency.
 
Wow - soz folks I saw him on Wednesday night and shook his hand thanking him for the job he’d done and how proud my late father will be. He told me he’d lost his father last year.

Hope it wasn’t me! lol
 
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KLD has always had a ruthless streak.

Now we’re in the top flight and it looks like we’ve achieved step one in surviving in our first season I’ve no doubt more ambitious targets will be set from next season onwards.

Anyone in the coaching or playing staff that they feel can be improved on will no doubt be shown the door.
 
When we appointed Ghisolfi a lot of comments said he doesn't stay anywhere long, usually 2 seasons. Suppose we'll see pretty soon how we fit into that trend
 
martinsmithsonofpele said:
He was scouting Trai Hume and Dan Ballard, like. He scouted Mayenda who got us through he play offs.

I don't see this need to bag on last season's setup when that is why we are able to improve on that this year. If we hadn't made money through Clarke, Stewart and Bellingham, would we be able to spend as much as we did?

If we take the statement at face value and say Speakman has done nothing since July 2025, he still left us in a position much much better both financially and in terms of talent on the pitch then he found us.

Sae with Roberts, Patterson, Neil, O'Nien and the rest, just because they've been upgraded doesn't mean their service wasn't very valuable to us. Don't see why we can't give them credit. For me, I'll always think of that entire team, Speakman included, very fondly.
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He was brilliant I agree but everything you mention and everyone have us back down in the Championship in 2026. Bellingham doesn't count lol .

Brilliant job but realistically a change had to be made to get us where we sit today.
 
By Sunderland AFC

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Sunderland AFC today confirms that Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman has left the Club with immediate effect.

Kristjaan was a key figure during one of the most significant periods in the Club’s recent history, playing an important role in bringing Sunderland back to the Premier League.

Appointed in December 2020, he led a comprehensive rebuild of the Club’s football operations, reshaping its recruitment and performance infrastructure and restoring competitive momentum.

His time on Wearside included three victories at Wembley Stadium, including Sunderland’s first win at the national stadium since 1973 and two Play-Off Final wins.

With Premier League status restored and a strengthened football leadership structure in place, the Board of Directors has made the decision to continue the Club’s journey without Kristjaan.

Director of Football Florent Ghisolfi will continue to lead Sunderland’s sporting programme after assuming control of all football operations in July 2025.

Kyril Louis-Dreyfus said: “Kristjaan has made an important contribution to Sunderland AFC during a period of significant transition and growth, helping to rebuild the Club and restore its place in the Premier League. Strong foundations have been established throughout our football operations over the past five years, and that phase of redevelopment is now complete. As we look to the future, our focus is on building from that position of strength with clarity of direction and sustained progress. We are grateful for Kristjaan’s commitment and professionalism and wish him every success for the future.”
 
Fifemackem said:
It feels like Speakmans job since the summer was to trim the squad of the talent that was not going to continue the journey with the club into the premiership. It feels that job was pretty well complete in the Jan transfer window. I do think the Adingra could well have been an almost hangover recruitment from Speakman that has only affirmed KLD's decision to move forward without him.
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They were looking at Adingra last January, That one has KS's fingerprints all over it.
 
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