Sunderland owner responds to talk boss Lee Johnson's job is 'hanging by thread' after Portsmouth rivals' play-off failure

Black Cats owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has called Johnson a ‘long-term appointment’, after his side’s play-off failure.

Johnson has faced increasing pressure and fan anger after that disappointment against Lincoln on Saturday with talk his job was ‘hanging by a thread’.

But Louis-Dreyfus told TalkSport: ‘Lee Johnson was a long-term appointment.

‘We all knew he would stay regardless of this season. He is the right man to hopefully lead us to promotion next season.

‘It’s going to be a long-term project.

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‘I don’t think a quick fix is possible in our situation.

‘We need to implement a long-term plan to rebuild every area of the club to hopefully then get success out of it.’

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Sunderland were defeated by Lincoln across two legs to leave them facing a fourth campaign in English football’s third tier.

Reports from Football Insider followed this morning, stating Johnson’s position was in danger and Dreyfus had sounded out potential successors.

That has now been denied, however, with Johnson still having two years to run on the deal he was handed last December.

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