[polldaddy poll=9968809]
UPDATE: to no great surprise, the early voting has “unbounded joy” way out in front, with “joy” and cautious “hope” following on. But Sixer and James Hunter remain unconvinced the story even has legs …
The Chronicle’s James Hunter, who writes well on SAFC, advises us to to treat the reports with caution. Then along comes the BBC with its own version, namely that our absentee owner Ellis Short has spoken to (or, as the Beeb inelegantly puts it, “spoken with”) Niall Quinn about a possible consortium takeover.
Salut! Sunderland has no inside information. But it sincerely hopes – or, since I can speak only for myself, Monsieur Salut hopes – it is true.
I do not imagine for a second that a sensible, determined, committed ownership structure would necessarily amount to a cure-all. There is, after all, rather too much to cure after the shambolic fall of the Short era.
And I wouldn’t be surprised to hear, soon enough, Short’s in-situ henchman Martin Bain, the hapless and – some believe – hopeless CEO, warning us to view even the BBC report as mere speculation. Never forget that Short’s controlled interview with safc.com had him claiming nearly everything written about him was wrong while admitting to a very possible cause, that he chose never to speak to the wicked media.
But the return of Niall would surely give us a massive morale boost, a feeling that we were back in the hands of someone who actually cared.
Vote your hearts out for the Lads, above, If none of my suggested replies fits the bill, add your own.
And this, in part, is what the BBC said (read it in full at http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/43157628):
Quinn, who played for, managed and was chairman at the Black Cats, is fronting the consortium backed by unnamed Irish and north east businessmen.
It is believed Short would ensure the club does not enter administration by funding the off-field business.
The consortium then would have two years to build the football side.
Other debts will be serviced by Premier League parachute payments following their relegation from the top flight last season.
Short, who has publicly declared the club is for sale on numerous occasions, is seeking the return of his funds at the end of that two-year “grace period” …
Ha’way the Lads in what seems an impossible task in the eight games that remain …
As an honorary freeman of the fine city of Sunderland Niall Quinn is allowed to drive his sheep across Wearmouth Bridge whenever he feels like it. I would suggest this is more likely than him ever returning in a football capacity.
Must ask Kate Adie if she ever took advantage of the sheep honour
Please let this be true .Even if it’s just something rumbling in the background ,it may gain momentum. For pity’s sake Short, either do everything in your power to make a deal happen or run the club properly. This can’t go on , something must change and soon .
Hmmmm? Sometimes when you see/read something looks too good to be true…….it is.
Personally? Can’t see it happening. As big a basket case as we’ve become I’m almost desperate enough to accept a Chinese takeover and a renaming to Lucky Black Cats of Sunderland or a Venky style ownership but why on Earth would NQ want to saddle himself with us again? I’m just looking around for the floatiest straw I can find just for one positive thing to happen to us this season. Is just one thing too much to ask? Unlike his playing time with us, I’m sure he can’t look back too fondly on his time in the hot seats he occupied. Difficult times and can a club really get so far “under your skin” that you would consider doing it all again AND from a considerably worse position? I mean, we don’t have a choice, we’re stuck with our lot but why would NQ volunteer to swap places with Sisyphus? A more thankless and reputation-shredding task in the bigger football world would be harder to find but I’d like to see him back even just to give us a focus or a bit of a spiritual lift. Perhaps he’d like a break from the tedium of being CEO of the successful Q.Sat. Who knows? I do know that, as a club, we’re staring into an abyss without a glimmer of a hope for the future.
Yeah! I’d like him back, even in charge of a skint consortium. It would be a start.
The gist seems to be that Short and other creditors will take the parachute money but he will pay the off- field running costs. A buyer would be responsible for new players and, presumably, the wages. Who will pay the wages of the likes of Rodwell and other redundants, they are most certainly off the field. What are off-field running costs? Short has also said that he wants his investments back within two years. It’s not an attractive proposition as it is now reported. A glimmer of hope, that’s all.
If only……….its the hope that I can’t stand!