Sunderland boss Phil Parkinson delivers revealing verdict on Chris Maguire's fitness and THAT McDonald's picture

It comes after Parkinson questioned the professionalism of Maguire and Aiden McGeady after the duo were pictured in club tracksuits appearing to eat at a McDonald’s, with claims it was on the way home after the 1-0 defeat to Gillingham last weekend.

The club hasn’t commented specifically on the timings of exactly when it was but Parkinson was left disappointed by it.

Parkinson insists that is not the sole reason why McGeady has since been frozen out at the club and told to look for a new club in January.

That decision was not related to one specific incident, insists Parkinson, and factors both on and off the pitch had played a part in his hugely controversial decision with Parkinson keen to improve the dressing room unity at the club.

McGeady was an unused substitute as Sunderland limped to a 1-0 defeat to Gillingham last weekend, and it’s understood the issues around the winger came to a head in the early part of the week.

McGeady was sent away from the training ground and has not been back to train this week.

He will not train with the first team group again under Parkinson, who said repeatedly at his press conference that he intends to ‘concentrate on the players that are here’.

When quizzed on the McDonald’s picture, Parkinson said: “I got sent the picture.

“Obviously it's not professional, is it? So it's not helpful, but that is not the sole reason why this decision has been made,” said Parkinson, referring to the decision that sees McGeady free to leave in January.

Parkinson admits Maguire needs to improve his fitness and is working hard to do so.

On Maguire, Parkinson added: “To be fair to Chrissy, in the last three weeks he's been doing extra training every single day.

“He's losing weight, he's getting himself fitter, which he needs to do, and he's buying into what we're asking him to do. I'm pleased with that.”