McGeady says nothing happened before Parkinson banished him
Aiden McGeady told Straight Talk he had not fallen out with Phil Parkinson before being sent to the 23s, and credits Lee Johnson with bringing him back.
By Peter Martin,
Aiden McGeady has said he had not even fallen out with Phil Parkinson before being banished to the 23s at Sunderland. Speaking to Peter Martin on Straight Talk, in an interview first published in August 2023, he said rumours went round that he'd had a fight with the manager, when "literally nothing happened".
Parkinson: "We don't need a personality like you"
McGeady told Martin that he had almost been Parkinson's confidant on the dressing room. Then one day, he said, the manager told him: "I just feel like we don't need a personality like you."
He was moved to the 23s, and the talk of a bust-up with Parkinson followed. McGeady described that as the toughest part of the episode, because, in his words, "literally nothing happened". The interview also covers Charlton, COVID and his time with the 23s, and waiting out the transfer window.
Johnson: "You want to start tomorrow"
The way back came when Lee Johnson took over. McGeady said Johnson phoned him on the Friday night: "You want to start tomorrow".
He played pretty much every game from there, and the season ended with a play-off semi-final and a place in both teams of the year. McGeady said he felt a bit of loyalty to Johnson as a result: "you brought me back". He also said Johnson was "a lot more hands-on" at Sunderland than he was at Hibs.
Why Sunderland
Earlier in the conversation, McGeady explained his move to Sunderland simply: "You can only go to who wants you." He spoke to Martin about following Simon Grayson from Preston, and about Sheffield Wednesday.
He also discussed the Sunderland 'Til I Die documentary, putting parts of it down to "the way TV works", and the Chris Coleman interview that went out after relegation. Jack Ross, the arrival of new owners and a new model at the club are also covered, before McGeady talks about coming back to Scotland at 36.
The interview is part of a longer Straight Talk with McGeady. Earlier parts deal with Martin O'Neill's Celtic, Larsson, Benfica and Tommy Burns, and his move from Celtic to Spartak Moscow and then Everton.