New Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus met with Sunderland supporters via Zoom last week for the first time to deliver his five-point plan for achieving success at the club, per the Sunderland Echo.
The takeover by the young Swiss tycoon was heavily protracted, with a deal agreed in December 2020, but the finishing pieces were finally put together in mid-February with EFL approval being received.
Since Louis-Dreyfus was officially announced as Sunderland's new owner, the Black Cats haven't lost on the pitch, going on a nine-game unbeaten run with seven of those being wins, and there's a new-found spirit bonding the squad and the fans despite none being allowed into stadiums right now.
Much of that is to do with all the positivity coming out of the Dreyfus camp, and in what was described by the Sunderland Supporters' Collective (SSC) as a 'very positive' meeting, the new chairman put five key points into place for his vision for the club.
Dreyfus, as per the meeting minutes for the SSC, wants to 'establish a high-performance culture across the club, to 'develop a football philosophy based upon Sunderland’s values and identity', to create 'opportunity for young players through a holistic development programme', wants the club to use 'evidence-based decision making embracing data and technology', and to 'align and engage with communities, supporters and businesses'.
It's a lot to take in but it's all positive steps to making the Black Cats a modern, well-run and sustainable club whilst also boosting the community spirit that has perhaps been lacking since relegation to League One.
The Verdict
Isn't Louis-Dreyfus just a breath of fresh air for Sunderland?
The man can't do much wrong and although it's very early days in his ownership, all the signs are pointing in the right direction - both on and off the pitch.
Since Stewart Donald took over at the club (following the initial honeymoon period) there hasn't been a clear strategy, with the club haemorrhaging money in the third tier of English football but with Louis-Dreyfus' backing and guidance, the foundations look to be there for the Black Cats to really push on back up the football pyramid.