Jack Ross reacts to fresh Sunderland investment talks - after a 'difficult' summer

Jack Ross insists insists it is business as usual at the Academy of Light - despite ongoing speculation over Sunderland’s ownership.
Jack Ross reveals his honest view on Sunderland takeover talksJack Ross reveals his honest view on Sunderland takeover talks
Jack Ross reveals his honest view on Sunderland takeover talks

Stewart Donald confirmed over the weekend that the Black Cats ‘very close’ to securing fresh investment - with several groups having been linked to the club in recent months.

But while talks continue in the background with interested parties, Ross is keen to distance himself from the negotiations and focus purely on footballing matters.

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When asked how the latest raft of speculation had affected him, Ross said:“I know I speak often enough about only being able to control the things I can affect and for me there are things I can do with the players that I can have influence over, anything else I can’t.

“The decision whether to accept new investment or a takeover or whatever it might be, and then how that impacts on what I do and my job, I can’t affect that in any way.

“I can only keep trying to do the job to the best of my abilities and influence things that I can affect.”

But while the current speculation - which was fuelled further by a new face in the Stadium of Light directors box against Portsmouth - isn’t affecting Ross, he admits the takeover talks over the summer did affect his preparations for the new campaign.

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Those talks, which were held with businessman Mark Campbell, didn’t come to fruition after what the Sunderland boss claimed was a ‘different’ summer.

“It was somewhat different because there was a lot of speculation,” he admitted.

“There were a lot of potential changes at the club that didn’t come to fruition, but still might come to fruition.

“Although they [takeover talks] don’t have a direct, day-to-day impact on me - through the summer they did.

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“It affected a little bit of our planning and what the structure would be.

“As things stand it’s as was, and it will continue to be that way until I’m told differently.

“It’s been okay. It was different again, another experience, but you’ve got to detach yourself from that.”