Quinn has Sunderland looking up at last

NIALL QUINN might have no inclination to return to management, having notched five defeats in six matches in his spell as caretaker back in 2006, but the Sunderland chairman clearly hasn’t lost all his powers of dressing room persuasion.

Quinn proved he can still inspire his players with a rousing pre-match speech on Saturday, outlining what he hopes the future will bring at the Stadium of Light and stressing the importance of finally guaranteeing Premier League safety.

With the impact of the financial crisis on the housing and credit industries in Ireland, the Drumaville consortium are eager to sell their stake in the club to the majority shareholder Ellis Short, whose arrival on Wearside precipitated the end of Roy Keane’s spell in charge, in the next few weeks.