There's been plenty of shake-up in Sunderland's hierarchy lately, and that has continued today with the news that Football Operations Director Ryan Sachs will be leaving the club.

Sachs has been at the Stadium of Light for three years now, having first arrived in 2013 to be former Director of Football Roberto De Fanti's assistant.

Even after De Fanti's sacking, which came only seven months after his appointment, Sachs remained with Sunderland and continued to have an impact on the club.

The American would be promoted to Club Secretary and had a good working relationship with Lee Congerton, who would fill the role De Fanti left.

However, Congerton also moved away from Wearside during the 2015-16 season, with Sachs having played a less significant role at the Stadium of Light since.

The former's departure saw Sunderland get rid of the Director of Football role, with Sam Allardyce and his Head of Recruitment, Martyn Glover, having taken control of transfers instead.

Sachs, who once had a big hand in contract negotiations and transfer discussions, has understandably called time on his stay in the North East then, now to look for a club where he will be more involved.

Ryan Sachs arrived to be the assistant of the infamous Roberto De Fanti (pictured). (Photo: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian)
Ryan Sachs arrived to be the assistant of the infamous Roberto De Fanti (pictured). (Photo: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian)

Plenty of shake-up

Sachs' departure is the latest incident on a busy off-the-pitch timeline for Sunderland this past year.

Dick Advocaat's departure and Allardyce's arrival got the ball rolling, before mass change was to occur in the hierarchy.

Congerton would leave the club in December, and a couple of weeks later Glover was reunited with Allardyce - the two having worked together for a number of years at West Ham United.

The most high profile change was the departure of Margaret Byrne though, who left her Chief Executive post after her involvement in the Adam Johnson scandal.

Martin Bain was announced as her successor in May, leaving his role with Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv on the first of this month to assume his new role on Wearside.

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About the author
Ameé Ruszkai
Head of the Sunderland, Swansea City and women football sections at VAVEL UK. Email: [email protected]