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New Sunderland boss Chris Coleman has hit out at Black Cats owner Ellis Short, questioning the chairman's concern over the club's welfare.

Short, now in the US, hasn't been to a home game since the beginning of this season and is desperate to sell the sinking outfit.

Coleman - who quit his job as Wales manager to take over at the Stadium of Light last year - hasn't been able to lift Sunderland out of the relegation zone in the Championship, and the side are now facing a second successive drop, following their Premier League expulsion last season.

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Speaking ahead of his side's match against Bolton Wanderers, the manager expressed sympathy for the club's fans, whom he says needs an owner who's as passionate as they are.

"At a club like Sunderland there is incredible passion and a lot of supporters, they need people here who care about the club as much as them. Here lies a problem," he said via the Sunderland Echo.

"Obviously Ellis wants to sell the club and they recognise that maybe his love for the club was maybe yesterday. 

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"Until that changes, he wants to sell the club, that is common knowledge, until we get someone that wants to turn a corner with, love it and care for it and look after it, hence all the negativity. 

"If the people here - and they do love the club - don't feel that you feel the same then there is a problem. We know all about that and the anger and the frustration from everybody.

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"Myself, Martin [Bain] and the players have to accept that, we take it on the chin. Until we have a new owner with new ideas we are where we are."

Despite his disappointment with the club's owner, Coleman had nothing but good things to say about chief executive Martin Bain.

"Martin [Bain] is very much the man that has been pushed out in front and he has accepted responsibility. He is a big boy, he can handle it, no problem," he added.

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"I do understand why people vent their anger somewhere, they have had enough of what has been going on. Martin is the front man for all that, he has to take it, he knows that. 

"But for me, 15 years of management, I haven't worked for a better chief executive than the one I am working for now. He will take the criticism, he is a big boy. We understand people will vent their anger and rightly so and we have to accept that."