So we know MON has the job if he wants it. We also think he has said yes in principle but still no announcement. I believe they will anounce as soon as it is resolved in order to give the club a lift before Sunday. So why the delay. MON own wages- unlikely I hope The transfer pot- possibly. MON says he needs £30m in January and the same in the summer and ES suggests he can only have £25 as Bruce has blown it all. I am just nervous. We are on the brink here of possibly the biggest appointment in my lifetime and still no firm news. Are you concerned?
My understanding is that the 2 parties have agreed the main points of the deal (his wages and transfer kitty) and accepted terms but now have all the other stuff like backroom staff, payoffs for Bruces people and boring stuff. I have just moved to anew job and it has taken 4 or 5 weeks of interviews, meetigns and negotiation and in principle, both parties wanted the deal when we first met. I'm not negotiating a multi million pound deal though and it still takes time. This is a multi million pound deal kidda and if it were concluded inside 72 hours it would be amazing and brilliant. I fully expect the official announcement later today and an unveiling sometime this evening. The team will be flying out tomorrow and I would think he will want to meet them as well beforehand. I expect his first proper game to be next Sunday v Blackburn. All the info I got was that both parties wanted this more than the other. Its not a case of one courting the other and playing hard ball at all.
A yank and an irishman alone in a room, they will talk all wekend and I doubt if either understands the other
Ok not here to interrogate but has this "O'Neill agrees to take charge", malarky come from a Sunderland source or an O'Neill source? It makes no odds if O'Neill has said he will take it, if Sunderland are still interviewing other candidates...that's all I'm getting at. I mean it looks nailed on to me that MON is going to be the new manager up there, I just think the best part of a working day has passed with nothing but this source snowballing. That's not normal, maybe they know Sky have all eyes on the Euro draws or something so can't make room for a press conference. I don't agree with you though Cest that it's because of the value of the deal, that's irrelevant at this level, and certainly at this stage seeing as O'Neill has "accepted the job". Again, back room staff etc, that's all rubbish too, he'll need to work with them first and foremost to see if they're up to the job before binning them all.
Every successful manager has their own people. O Neill has John Robertson, Clough had Taylor etc etc. Those contracts are as important as the managers. Those brought in by Bruce wont just be neccesarily canned overnight but require negotiation as to what they can be utilised for if at all. Any contract negotiation, be it career or buying a hoover, requires discussion and thought. Given the process apparently only started in earnest yesterday, after an initial enquiry, its little wonder that we are into Friday afternoon without official confirmation. That doesnt say its not going to happen or that there are problems but it does say there is a **** load of **** to complete first. This appointment is vital to the future of a multi million pound business not just filling in some forms. I donjt accept your thoery at all about interviewing other candidates and prefer to believe my man who says this was the first and only major target, with Hughes discussed as a plan B (not a good choice of words as I would have been happy with him too) should O Neill have refused the first approach. That he was apparently as enthusiastic as Short, meant that this process has been smooth and fairly swift. I have waitied for over 15 years to have MoN as the Sunderland manager. I'll happily wait a few more hours to see it happen officially but retain the absolute belief in that interum period, that its already a done deal.
I've just read a post on facebook saying that talks in London with Ellis have finished and that MON is on his way to Sunderland by train to meet SNQ.
