"We hope to appoint the next head coach of our great club imminently, as we enter the final stages of the recruitment process."
The key line from Kyril Louis-Dreyfus' Sunderland statement last week and one that red and white supporters are sinking their teeth into online.
Almost a week on, the Black Cats are yet to reach an agreement with a prospective head coach.
READ MORE: Sunderland head coach search takes another twist after Rosenior update
After Will Still's public rejection, the Wearsiders were sent back to the drawing board in search of Plan B.
We Are Sunderland understands Liam Rosenior was one of the candidates under consideration by the Black Cats hierarchy, but is holding out for a move to recently relegated Burnley. The Clarets are looking for a replacement for Vincent Kompany and the former Hull City boss is being courted by Turf Moor chiefs.
While that deal is far from complete, it's highly unlikely he'll be in the Sunderland dugout next season, unless something drastically changes.
Which shifts the Black Cats' focus towards other targets.
Pascal Jansen was ruled out of the running for the vacant role at the Stadium of Light over the weekend, with a move to Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros now a possibility.
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes remains a man of interest to the Sunderland hierarchy, but it remains to be seen whether they'd pay the compensation to prise the Catalan head coach away from Loftus Road.
Rene Maric remains of interest, despite suggestions in Germany linking him with a promotion to Kompany's first-team coaching staff.
The Wearsiders are also in talks with candidates whose identity remains a mystery at this stage.
Louis-Dreyfus' statement on Friday was one that was needed. It was refreshing to hear a reiterant of ambition.
But, the use of the word "imminent" has created a rod for their own back. Even if the statement said nothing more of an appointment being any further forward than the 'final stages'.
Sunderland were still talking with a number of candidates at that stage.
We're now 114 days into this search and for all the talk of succession planning and ambition, combined with players holding off signing new contracts, fans are rightly asking 'what is going on?'
Why are the club failing to come to an agreement with managerial targets? Is it the budget? Is it a coaching staff issue? We're not privy to those sort of conversations, but there have been suggestions online - from Will Still's camp at very least - that all of those factors played a part in his rebuttal.
Sunderland are walking a dangerous tightrope.
Apathy had already set in among some sections of the fanbase as a result of last season's dismal end to the campaign, they cannot afford a disappointing summer, nor can the new head coach start on the back foot.
Without wanting to point out the obvious, they need to make a decision and sharpish. The process has become tiresome for all involved, none more so than supporters who will support their club through thick and thin.
The hierarchy will, of course, have a plan, but from the outside looking in, the public rejections are doing them no favours.
Sunderland have generally done well to keep the identities of candidates under wraps, but by doing so, we're now seeing the flip side of that coin. Barring Still, it's not clear how far up or down the head coach shortlist the likes of Rosenior and Jansen were.
Every name that gets ruled out of proceedings, diminishes the list of names out there in the public domain. Rightly, or wrongly, it has the same impact on supporters' faith.
READ MORE: Louis-Dreyfus' statement raises doubts in head coach search
With every passing day, the unrest grows that little bit more. Questions are being asked of those in charge of the running of the club. The longer this goes on, the more it leaves the ownership regime open to questions like - 'Do they know what they're doing?'
They know this process can't go on much longer. They have to get fans back on side after a dreadful end to the season. After all, the Championship transfer window opens on June 14 and with no head coach in place, how do you attract players?
Louis-Dreyfus' ownership is being measured on his own promise of a five-year plan to take Sunderland back to the Premier League.
"It remains the club’s ambition to return to the Premier League within five years since acquiring control," he said back in 2023. Whether that was a realistic aim or not, remains to be seen. Going off the first two full seasons in charge, the club were right on track.
But with the alarm bells of last season still ringing loudly in supporters' ears, the red and white faithful are starting to question every move.
In one of his final press conferences, interim head coach Mike Dodds said: "Obviously the appointment of the head coach is going to be a marker. That will speak for itself…I’m not going to speak for other people but I don’t think it needs any kind of statement, as such, but actions speak louder than words.”
A decision must come soon.
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