Jim Rodwell insists his installation as chief executive at Sunderland should not be read as a sign that Stewart Donald is rowing back on his stated intention to sell-up.
Owner Donald announced at the end of December that he would sell the club amid growing supporter disenchantment, and a joint statement from several fan groups calling upon him to find a buyer.
But when former Scunthorpe United CEO Rodwell was appointed last week, despite the statement that accompanied his arrival reiterating the fact that the club is still for sale, many fans interpreted the move as a signal it could be some time before the Black Cats are under new ownership.
However Rodwell expects any negotiations with interested parties to continue regardless, and accepts that a new owner may want to bring in their own chief executive - although he hopes that his performance in the role will convince them to keep him on.
"It [a prospective sale] doesn't really change my position," said Rodwell.
"If you have plenty of money and can hit a number, you could buy most football clubs.
"So that doesn't overly concern me.
"If the right offer comes in and the owners think it is in the best interests of the club, that they are genuine, credible people, they will probably look to sell the club.
"If new owners wanted a new chief executive, c'est la vie.
"All I can do is come in and do the best job I possibly can because if we can get this football club in a better state, make it desirable and valuable, make people happier, and I'm doing a good job, then maybe the new owners would want to keep me on.
"Maybe they wouldn't, but I can't spend time looking over my shoulder.
"My thought process is, let's go and put some processes in place at the football club, make it more viable, make it sustainable, and most importantly, let's support the manager and players to go and get promoted.
"The prospect of a sale doesn't affect the job that I have been brought in to do.
"Stewart and the other shareholders have been very straightforward, they keep me in the loop with any developments and that's all I can ask for."
Sunderland have operated for almost two years without a chief executive since Martin Bain left the club shortly after Donald took over in the summer of 2018.
Former owner Ellis Short had brought in Bain and tasked him with helping prepare the club for a sale, a process that concluded when Donald took charge.
But Rodwell says he has not been given a similar brief - although he says that if he does his job well, and helps the club achieve promotion, that will inevitably make it more attractive to any potential purchaser.
He said: "That [preparing for a sale] is not my brief at all.
"But it's interesting when you look at what 'prep for a sale' actually means.
"The way that I see that you prep Sunderland for a sale is to make it successful, make it more viable.
"It's more attractive as a viable business in the Championship, and it is even more attractive as a viable business in the Premier League.
"So if doing a good job and running the business effectively is prepping for a sale, then you could look at it that way.
"But my brief is to come here and do a good job, not to sell the club.
"The sale isn't really something that I am preoccupied with, I'm more interested in doing a good job and instilling some leadership."
