'Needs to look in mirror' - Ex-Sunderland ace hits out at Lewis Morgan and labels claims 'disgrace'

Stephen Elliott expressed his view on comments made by the former loanee on social media
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Ex-Sunderland ace Stephen Elliott hit out at Lewis Morgan over comments he made about his time at the club.

The Scotland international, speaking to Si Ferry on Open Goal, labelled the club a “shambles” and talked about being unable to get his head into the play-off final against Charlton Athletic, a revelation which prompted Elliott to call it a “disgrace” on social media.

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Morgan, now playing in MLS with Inter Miami, spent the second half of the 2018/19 season at the Stadium of Light on loan from Celtic, playing 22 times.

Lewis Morgan opened up about his struggles at Sunderland and the play-off final defeat. Picture: GettyLewis Morgan opened up about his struggles at Sunderland and the play-off final defeat. Picture: Getty
Lewis Morgan opened up about his struggles at Sunderland and the play-off final defeat. Picture: Getty

The 23-year-old provided an eye-opening insight into Sunderland during his spell, everything from Aiden McGeady’s ruthlessness and temper, negativity, dressing room unease and Bryan Ovideo.

However, it was his comments about the play-off final at Wembley with a place in the Championship at stake against Charlton Athletic which irked many, including Elliott, who spent three seasons with the club and was a key part of the side which won promotion to the Premier League in 2005 and was still there when doing so in 2007 before moving to Wolves.

Morgan revealed he wasn’t ready to come on as an early substitute for Max Power.

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He said: "To be fair I warmed up terribly, I did everything terrible and then two or three minutes into the game Max Power got injured and Jack Ross is like “are you ready to go on?” and in my head I’m like “no, I’m not, I’m not ready”.

Stephen Elliott was unhappy with comments made by Morgan. Picture: GettyStephen Elliott was unhappy with comments made by Morgan. Picture: Getty
Stephen Elliott was unhappy with comments made by Morgan. Picture: Getty

"So that’s probably my biggest regret of my time down there, it wasn’t that I done it intentionally but I just didn’t deal well with being told I wasn’t playing.”

Players that actually care

Elliott wasn’t happy with such a view. While he agreed with the description of the club as a “shambles”, he couldn’t wrap his head round a player unable to rouse him for such an occasion.

“A fair bit of truths in interview no doubt, but he was part of why it was a shambles (still kind of is),” Elliott said on Twitter. “A young player who can’t lift himself for a game with magnitude of a playoff final for this club, even if starting on bench, is a disgrace. Needs to look in mirror first imo.

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“He has ability and did ok in certain games but the club needs players that actually care and ‘really want’ to get promoted.

"There’s players who are happy to just do a few years with club at this level and are not ‘really’ bothered whether promotion is achieved or not.”