Aiden McGeady has revealed the reasons behind his deadline day loan departure to Championship outfit Charlton Athletic.
Speaking exclusively to the South London Press, McGeady admitted to a disagreement with boss Phil Parkinson that left him training with the Under-23s in the final weeks of his two and a half year spell at the Stadium of Light.
However, the Republic of Ireland international insisted there was personal animosity between the two, just a difference of football opinion over his importance to the team. McGeady said: ‘There was nothing more or nothing less than me and the manager not seeing eye to eye.’
‘He felt it better that I train away from the group, for whatever reason.’
‘I didn’t do anything which saw me be fined, disciplined, sacked or banned from the training ground – just me and the manager had a disagreement. I was told to follow the schedule of the U23s from that point on.’
‘These things happen in football, and you have to get on with it. It wasn’t anything personal or a fallout between myself and him.’
‘It’s nothing more than the manager felt he was better without me and that he didn’t need me. We didn’t see eye to eye.’
Last season’s player of the season still has eighteen months remaining on his contract at Sunderland. Still, having been told he has no future at the club by Parkinson in December, it seems unlikely he will ever appear in the famous red and white stripes again.
The Lads have won their last three League One games to sit in the pay off positions. They will be looking to boost their promotion further hopes when they entertain Bristol Rovers at the weekend.
Our View
McGeady was not pulling his weight at Sunderland, and the decision by Parkinson has proved to be the correct one.
It is fair to say most fans are not missing the mercurial winger, and their form since he was ejected from the first-team squad means the former favourite is far from their thoughts.
After a difficult start, Parkinson is starting to make his mark at the Stadium of Light.
