Understand what you're saying but it usually works in reverse for clubs like Sunderland (Rangers, Celtic, Liverpool etc) in that if a player is getting stick they end up being rallied around, made a sort of lightning rod within the fanbase for being treated unfairly, a martyr of sorts basically.
Completely get that and you're spot on.
Problem is I'm not entirely sure it's unfair and I don't think the club should rally around a guy being accused of betraying the rainbow flag lot for money.
