'That’s not a correct representation' - Ex-loanee backtracks on Sunderland criticism and claims club deserves better

The Black Cats have concluded contract extensions for Luke O’Nien and Aiden McGeady and have announced the signing of former Huddersfield Town attacker Alex Pritchard.

Meanwhile, a Sunderland contract decision has been slammed by Championship director as Portsmouth target an eye-catching deal.

And on the transfer rumour front, the Wearsiders have been dealt a blow in the pursuit of a double deal as one in-demand striker reveals rejected offers.

As ever, though, there’s plenty of talk surrounding Sunderland.

Here we take you through some of the more interesting stories that you may have missed today:

Former Sunderland attacker backtracks on previous criticism of Sunderland

Former loanee Lewis Morgan has backtracked on previous comments made about Sunderland.

The attacker previously stated that his time at the club was ‘a bit of a shambles’ and labelled the atmosphere as ‘negative’.

Morgan, who now plays for Inter Miami, moved to clarify his comments.

"My words weren’t misconstrued on the Open Goal interview, I probably just used the wrong words.

“That club is a massive club, (I have) so much respect for everything at that club. I think the word, I don’t want to use what word I used because that’s not a correct representation of that club. That club is huge.

“What I was trying to get across was the situation wasn’t fitting of a club the size of Sunderland. The situation we were in, I think the squad of players - it goes back to momentum - it’s hard to get momentum in football.

“You see these teams that get on a run of form in the Championship and they end up getting relegated, who would think Sunderland would get relegated from the Championship? The position that they’re into this day isn’t what Sunderland fans deserve or Sunderland Football Club deserve.”

Morgan joined Sunderland in January 2019 as the club pushed for promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt under Jack Ross, a manager the player had worked under previously in Scotland.

But the Black Cats could not seal a top-two position and were consigned to the play-offs.

Morgan came on early against Charlton following an injury to Max Power as Sunderland were defeated 2-1 at Wembley.

“I think the loan move there, I’m going to play under Jack Ross a manager I love, a coach I love but football, when you’re inside a football club it’s different to what fans perception can be. It wasn’t that the players weren’t trying or whatever, but sometimes in football, there’s just some weird thing that hangs above a club's head and it’s difficult to lift.

“The time there wasn’t successful for whatever reason and been in that environment in a team that’s not doing so well, there’s so much pressure on, the team isn’t performing.

“In the St Mirren team, everything was there to help me to play, at Sunderland that just wasn’t the case and it wasn’t for a lack of trying or a lack of what anyone was doing. Sometimes situations are just like that. We just weren’t anywhere near what Sunderland Football Club should’ve been.”

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