Quinn: I am every bit as ambitious as Roy

Apr 29 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

NIALL Quinn has vowed to give Roy Keane all the support and financial backing he needs to try to turn Sunderland into a major force in English football.

Although plenty of attention has centred on whether Black Cats manager Keane is going to sign a new contract at the Stadium of Light this summer, Quinn is confident the Irishman will commit his long-term future to the Wearsiders as he shares the same sense of ambition about the club’s potential.

Keane insisted straight after the Black Cats secured their Premier League safety with a 3-2 win over Middlesbrough last weekend that he still needed to be convinced the board were willing to give him the resources he needs to take the club to the next level.

But Cats chairman Quinn (pictured below) does not envisage any problems with that as he thanked Keane for finally putting an end to Sunderland’s reputation as a “yo-yo” club which regularly swapped the Premier League for the Championship.

“I’m thrilled that another big step has been taken on his part,” said Quinn, who was the man responsible for bringing Keane to the Stadium of Light last season. “People may point to the amount of money we have spent, but they should remember just where the previous manager (Quinn) left him! He’s box office in more ways than one, but he’s backed that up in the most important way and that’s with results and tangible progress. This is another big step up the ladder for him.

“In terms of the belief of this club, he’s conquered a big demon for us, because before he came here we were a yo-yo side. That’s so important, but what we must do now is provide and keep providing the structures and support he needs to keep moving us forward.” Keane is determined to make Sunderland a far stronger outfit next season as he envisages building a squad which is capable of competing with the teams above them in the table. It is a vision shared by Quinn, who also has some of the Premier League’s most established clubs in his sights ahead of another summer of comings and goings on Wearside.

“Who knows how far this journey is going to go,” he said “I’m just thrilled that we have another shot at it next year and we have the steel to get better and better. If you were to break it down, step one was to get the club out of the Championship and rebuild the connections with the fans. Step two is to stay in the Premier League, consolidate and try to kick on. We’ve completed most of that now.

“Step three is to challenge those clubs around mid-table – Tottenham, Manchester City, West Ham, get in there among them. Who knows? You might go a step further and challenge the Aston Villas, Blackburns and Portsmouths.” Nevertheless, while the focus has already turned towards improving the first-team squad when the transfer window opens in the summer, Quinn also paid tribute to the group of players who have avoided another quick return to the Championship.

He said: “I’m delighted for the players and the coaching staff whose task was making it happen. They were charged with getting over the phobia of this club’s previous yo-yo existence.

“They’ve dealt with the pressures of the modern Premier League, despite all the setbacks like injuries and (poor refereeing) decisions, and have got on with it and never moaned. It’s magnificent, their spirit and what it has meant.”