Sunderland club doctor resign after Van Aanholt saga
Sunderland’s club doctor has resigned in the aftermath of the Patrick van Aanholt saga.
The Daily Mail have exclusively revealed that Ishtiaq Rehman offered his resignation earlier this week after the dramatic and controversial withdrawal of Van Aanholt from the Sunderland starting line-up to face Tottenham earlier this month.
The left-back had been named as a left-back for the fixture at the Stadium of Light, but was removed from the game just 15 minutes before kick-off.
Manager David Moyes explained after the game that the decision was made after a cardiologist from the Football Association advised him not to play the Dutchman.
According to Mike Keegan, Dr Rehman, who joined the club in June 2013, has left as a direct result of the confusion. He writes:
‘But the FA denied any involvement and insisted the Wearsiders were dealing with an independent specialist.
‘That lack of communication within the club, which led to the confusion, is not thought to have gone down well. Moyes, whose side sit bottom of the Premier League, revealed Van Aanholt’s late withdrawal had harmed their performance.’