Speakman Leaves Sunderland

Sunderland AFC announced Friday that sporting director Kristjaan Speakman is leaving immediately after five years, paving the way for director of football Florent Ghisolfi to lead operations solo. Speakman joined in December 2020 amid tough times in League One, overseeing back-to-back promotions to the Championship in 2022 and the Premier League via 2025 play-offs, with the club now sitting 11th and safe in mid-table. Owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus praised his role in rebuilding the club, while fans hailed him as a legend for the transformation. Sources see the move as closing the rebuild chapter, not a reset.

Sunderland fans seem shocked by this in the replies to the club statement