He always said he would be here 5 years and it is now 6 so I guess this was on the cards. I suspect the 4 months as International Director was really him working his notice! In any event he will always be a hero to me for his goals, his attitude, his humour and his humility. He rescued us when the club was at our lowest ebb and gave us something to be proud of again. Calling him a LEGEND really is an understatement. As stated on another thread we should definitely name the South Stand (new 'home' end) after him from next season. It's the least the club can do to show how much he meant to us.
Legend. Never has so much been owed by so many to one. Obviously pushed out by Ellis. Not sure what I make of that ruthlessness from our owner. He obviously insists on his own people. Lest we never forget...
Duno about this mate, Quinn always had approx a 5yr stay in mind (tho i do admit it is strange leaving mid season). However we also cannot dismiss how much Ellis has done for ourselves.
Originally Posted by bald-in-guelph This is a cultivated press release aimed at changing things without shouting out loud and doing anything to destabilise the ship. The only thing that surprises me is that it's taken so long. Quinn has been offered essentially a "dignified exit" for ****ing up with Sbragia and then Bruce. He is due that and can walk out with head held high. He will probably disappear in the next 6 months to "explore other opportunities." etc. Thanks Niall you always gave your best and over loyalty to this failure Bruce has cost you. Bald-in-guelph posted the above around 3rd October last when Short decided that he had to take over before it was too late. He got it spot on. No surprise at all to me, and I'm sure many others.
Quinn brought Ellis to the club, and I reckon Quinn always planned on slowly transitioning power to Ellis once he was sure the club was in safe hands. QUinn always said he would leave after a certain amount of time, and he has done so. Not sure why you think mr Short forced him out, seemed very much planned by SNQ to me.
I suspect the tipping point was when he stuck with Steve Bruce when Bruce was well past his sell by date... typical of Quinn to be ultra loyal and perhaps to let his heart rule his head. I absolutely agree that the club would be in a shambles but for him and it feels like we've lost one of our nobelest figures. One small crumb of comfort I can take is that in the times ahead clubs are going to have to managed in a very hard-headed way at the very top - the new fiscal rules will require that for sure - so although I'm truly dissapointed that we've lost Niall Quinn I'm hoping that this is an indication that that ruthlessness by Ellis Short (if that's what it was) will be put to good use to keep the club in a strong place.
I disagreed with that at the time, and I disagree with it now. not the fact that Quinn leaving was on the cards, but why it was on the cards. Quinn leaving was always on the cards once Quinn had stabilised the club and handed power over to someone he could trust and who had SAFC's best interest at heart. Sabragia was not a **** up, it was a short term appointment to hold up until the summer. Bruce also wasnt a **** up, he improved the squad from the **** Keane had bought in, stabilised the ship and improved league positions 2 seasons in a row. Bruce then hit a brick wall, and MON was his replacement. Quinn wanted MON since the beginning, and when MON did not accept the job the 1st time (due to Wife's illness) he brought in Keane who got us promoted and put us on the map. Bruce was brought in, presumably cos MON was still looking after his wife and continued the process. As soon as Bruce hit a brick wall, you can better your last £ that MON was the 1st name past Quinn's lips especially if he knew that MONs wife was ok enough again for MON to accept the job. Completely planned by Quinn? probably not, if Bruce had worked out then who knows what would have happened - but MONs appointed has Quinn's smell all over it.
Quinn was not chairman when Bruce was in his last run of games, and the decision to stick with Bruce (and then to eventually sack him) would have been taken by the entire board, with SNQ, Short and Margaret Byrne being the key decision makers.
I posted the whole of the bloke's quote dan, but it was the "leaving on the cards" bit that I was referring to, and the fact that it is far from a surprise. Seems that we are in agreement.
OK, fair enough. Just saw the Bald got it spot on bit, and presumed you were agreeing with all of it.
No problem. By the way, I think that O'Neill was probably at Villa, and quite settled, when Bruce was appointed.
MON was also still at Villa when Quinn 1st asked him, no? MON would have still said yes - it was his wife's illness that stopped him not his position at Villa.
As I understand it, O'Neill left his post as Manager of Celtic on 28th May 2005 due to his wife's illness. He joined Villa on 4th August 2006. Keane joined us 28th August 2006, some three weeks later. How do you know that he didn't join us due to his wife's illness?
I've never read or heard one Sunderland fan calling for Quinns head. Just more rubbish from Cest MK2.
pretty sure Oneil himself said he turned it down cos of that, and thought he would never be given the opportunity to manage Sunderland again - and jumped at the chance when Short and Quinn gave him the opportunity.
OK. Don't recall reading it meself, that's all. Cheers. Fact is, he's here now, and things are looking up.
