Niall steps down as chairman, Ellis Short takes over. Quinn becomes head of international development. Apologies for a rushed post but it is important news – already mentioned in comments – and needs to be passed on properly. Make of this, from safc.com, what you will:
Sunderland AFC has announced that Niall Quinn is to spearhead international development on behalf of the club.
This new remit means that Quinn will relinquish his day-to-day chairman’s duties as he focuses on developing Sunderland’s profile and business interests overseas. To allow Niall sufficient time to devote to the challenge, owner Ellis Short has agreed to take up the reins as chairman.
Speaking about the changes, Niall said: “This is a great opportunity for us to make the club stronger and I’m delighted that Ellis has agreed to support the plan.
“He’ll be a fantastic Chairman and taking this role on speaks volumes about his ambition for the club.”
Ellis Short said: “I can assure our fans that it’s the same group of people continuing to lead the club.
“With financial fair play rules coming into effect it is essential for the long-term success of the club that we develop interests on a global scale and there’s no-one better than Niall to sell the ethos of Sunderland to an international audience.
He has been keen to drive this change for some time and I agree that it’s the way forward for us now. Assuming the position of chairman is a great honour and I will treat the role as guardian of this club with the utmost respect.”
Shame it hadn’t been N. Korea Matty. They may have kept him and refused to send him back.
I think ES should keep Steve Bruce as SAFC manager. At the moment we are not playing well and SB knows that and he and his coaching staff will work hard to get the team to gel. Bringing in a new manager at this time of the season will not do the team any favours. I may be wrong; but Steve Bruce is a good manager, imagine if Man U had sacked Fergie when he was in the same situation. If we keep sacking good managers we end up like Newcastle, two or three new managers every year. in the long run we have to have stabililty
Naill Quinn is a God and ES should be aware that any abuse of him would be a PR disaster.
Correction: South Korea
Quinn is a god there is no getting away from that fact but we now must trust Short. My only concern is who is advising him, with regard to football and the aspirations of Sunderland AFC and our supporters.
My gut feeling is that Bruce will not manage at the Sol again unless as an opposition manager.
It does seem as though the Quinn move is a way of Ellis Short getting rid of Bruce – except that if this were so why would he take him on a holiday (N. Korea etc)?
Davey likens anyone he disagrees with to “those up the road.” It doesn’t wash Davey and is offensive.
We find the prospect of perseverance with a dire failure leading us toward the Championship. Some of us get a bit twitchy about that.
Davey says,
“What if he loses his first few games ? Then of course you can call for his head too . You are all turning like those jokers up the road !! It’s just a shame that Quinn has had to be the sacrificial lamb”
How many ‘first few games’ has Bruce had in the last nine months? He’s had plenty of time, plenty of money and plenty of totall crap performances.
Bruce is being judged on the entirety of his management and basically it’s not up to scratch.
Having a go a fellow supporter simply for asking that he be answerable for his actions is am afraid taking a leaf out of Mr Bruces very well worn copy of the ‘Book of Excuses – or How to Get Your Retaliation in first!!!!’.
Additionally additionally, you failed to answer my previous question, if Mr Bruce had not been awarded a contract extension, would his last 9 months performance have been enough to merit it now?
Additionally I really do wish you would stop sullying the site with refrences to ‘them up the road’.
Niall Quinn said when taking the role he didn’t want to do it long term,2 years ago and 6 months ago he publicly talked about going,we have to thank the man for what he has done and where we are but it really is his wish to step down.Ellis Short is a winner and is now in a public arena and i believe that is a huge statement from the man and proves his ambition for the club,watch this space failure will not be accepted,it is a good move and i for one am happy
At least it will keep the anti-Bruce mob happy !Let’s hope Martin O Neill is as good as you think he is – I have my doubts
What if he loses his first few games ? Then of course you can call for his head too . You are all turning like those jokers up the road !! It’s just a shame that Quinn has had to be the sacrificial lamb
international marketing director? is this a great piece of “big picture/long term” thinking, a case of trying to run before we can walk, or a sly way to make a dignified exit? Mind, if any one can do this new job, Quinny can. He could sell a red and white shirt to a mag
Disappointed, yes; surprised, not really. The King is dead, Long Live the King.
Nial has been nothing but a hero for sunderland and renaming a stand would be echo his comitment to the club. But i do think there is smokescreen here. You dont just decide to step down i think short told nail mr bruce had to go as the gates are not good enough. And to me nial has said no and short has took over so he can do it himself… He maby has a manager allready lined up and with a 2 week break it gives time to get the new manager in and settled. Who knows but theres short is planning somthing
We should not name a stand after NIAL we should change the name of the ground it should be the NIAL Quinn stadium and he should be honoured by the queen SIR NIAL QUINN good luck and thanks NIAL
Naming a stand after Niall is an excellent idea – he did more to rescue the club from the abyss than anyone.
Well NIAL gone and unless Ellis short sacks this muppet now and get a proper manager in now we are now becoming the laughing stock of premier football we. Used to have teams petrified to play us at hope now they can’t wait as our home record is dismal we need to act now make the move Ellis and do the right thing and send this Geordie packing we have a two week break so act now and by the way tell millaband to go with him
‘I think that Niall Quinn has done more for the club on and off the pitch than anyone else in my life time’ -I absolutely agree. He has shown enormous respect, loyalty and affection for the community as a whole, not just the Club. There are endless tales of his kindness and friendliness to all and sundry. His virtues may seem old fashioned in the hard nosed world of contemporary football, but for the most part they have done us proud. I thought his gamble on Keane was worth taking, it is only in the Bruce situation that I feel he has failed to respond appropriately and shown his limitations. Naming a stand after him is the least we can do !
Mr Short has kept a low profile till this point, this is a biggy, expect big news . The timing IE 2 weeks before the next game , as already mentioned must mean some action is interment.
What’s in a name. We now have a newly appointed International Marketing Director and Niall,spearheading international business development.. Who reports to whom? No doubt further announcements will emerge after a suitable interval. Ellis Short understandably is calling the shots and one has to believe his statement about a commitment to the club. Niall though lived and breathed SAFC – the well known quote says it all. He has been brilliant for SAFC. Without him we would probably have ended up in the third tier with the two Sheffield clubs. But this does seems like the end of the Quinn era
“I agree maybe Niall wasn’t meant to be a hard nosed chairman or manager for that matter but whatever the reasons behind his new role, I think he should be rewarded for his tireless contribution to the club both as a player and chairman before he drifts off into obscurity. Maybe rename a stand in his honour?”
I think that Niall Quinn has done more for this club on and off the pitch than anyone else in my life time. Wherever he goes and whatever he does, SAFC will remain in his heart. I suppose what we all wanted was for him to stay for ever. He probably realised that he has done his bit and can do no more.
All of the stands should be named after people that we look up to such as Quinny, Bob Stokoe, Ian Porterfield etc. We should consider naming one of the toilets after Gareth Hall though.
I agree maybe Niall wasn’t meant to be a hard nosed chairman or manager for that matter but whatever the reasons behind his new role, I think he should be rewarded for his tireless contribution to the club both as a player and chairman before he drifts off into obscurity. Maybe rename a stand in his honour?
Various sources are saying that Bruce’s position isn’t under threat!
This has been on the cards for some time. Short has been wanting a more hands on role and recent speculation of a breakdown in the relationship between Quinn and Short seem correct such is the timing of this annoucement. This new role seems to be a smoke screen to keep fans happy. I suspect he wont be here this time next year and we can say goodbye to the Quinn era. What the Short era will bring is anyone’s guess but I suspect we will be seeing the end of Bruce shortly, just hope Short gets behind the next manager… time to think of who that will be? Martin O’Neill would be excellent! Thanks Niall for everything, good luck in your next venture!
I believe that the timing of this is no coincidence at all Hilary. Short has probably known what he was planning for weeks/months. This kind of change doesn’t happen overnight. It all revolves around whether ES felt that he could make a change while Quinn was in situ. I don’t buy the notion that this is Quinn’s idea in the first place or that this would be a good time to step down either. It could well be that an option was given to NQ some time ago and he has deliberated for some time.
Cest. It’s never been clear to me what Miliband was doing anyway. He appears to have done nothing at all. 50K is a drop in the ocean to someone like him and probably require a couple of weeks work per year. It’s a bit of a red herring really.
I think that is just about right. However, I do wonder if there isnt someone waiting in the wings already. We have nearly 2 weeks until our next game, which would give a new manager a little leeway to settling in.
I do think we should acknowledge Niall’s contribution to the Club. He may not have been hard enough in the end to do some crucial aspects of his job, but he has attracted respect and investment for Sunderland. I am shocked to see some of the comments on other fan sites. Those who are highly critical of him and write his contribution to the club off, have short memories.
I really don’t believe the comments motives or accounts of discussions. As a businessman ES is under no obligations to tell everybody what his plans really are. That would make him as numb as Bruce. He isn’t!
Quinny to take on his new role of developing Sunderland’s profile and business interests overseas. Why therefore are we paying David Milliband £50k per year to do the same job. What is going on at our club?
This is a wonderful piece of PR to show solidarity and ambition while at the same time the cynical amongst us are likely to adopt a different interpretation here.
How about this scenario?
Quinn is feeling the heat. He has been for a while and has stood steadfastly behind Bruce. This man has been chairman of a PL club. He has appointed three managers and hasn’t sacked one. Is that a coincidence? I think not.
Mr Short meanwhile runs out of patience and tells Quinn “Sack him!” which Quinn refuses. Somewhere down the line Quinn may told the owner “If he goes then I go!’ Short says fine Niall here’s a dignified way for you to go. I am chairman now.
Quinn considers the option and takes the “ambassadorial role” realising that this is something to assist his graceful departure which relieves him of any guilt or responsibility for having to sack Bruce. A lovely man Mr Quinn who has done an incredible amount for SAFC, the city and wider community. A chairman he is not. An ambassador he may be. Now that ES is the chairman I would be surprised to see Bruce last for very much longer, but perhaps just long enough to see ES line up a replacement who will come in the same door through which Bruce leaves. Short couldn’t go and get another man in while Quinn was the Chairman. Now he can do what he wants.