Niall Quinn's Sunderland Consortium

[Stuttgart88]

Does anyone know who's supposed to be in this consortium?

Maybe it's fanciful thinking, but if it's a genuinely Irish consortium then maybe, just maybe, they may be acting with at least some element of philanthropy in mind. Maybe even building an academy in Ireland, or whatever.

Personally I'd prefer to see substantial private money invested in our own league but that doesn't appear likely, with the exception of well located grounds like Dalyer being sold for development, but if private money has to go to England and take advantage, parasite-like, of their football culture & infrastructure so be it.

I reckon they'll probably have no such motivation & will be just another bunch of rich but essentially non-footballing people looking for a cheapish way of buying the glamour of English footy. I'd like to think Quinn has some degree of motivation in the Irish angle. Despite being an irritating pundit, I think his heart is very much in the right place.

[pete]

The irony of Niall Quinn leading a consortium to invest in english football while he sits on new eircom Premiership evaluation board doesn't seem to be obvious at Merrion Square...

[Stuttgart88]

Pete, what conditions do you think are required to attact money from the same type of investors into the domestic game rather than abroad?

Also, just out of info, what kind of annual salary would a player like George O'Callaghan earn at Cork?

[Dodge]

The irish buiying into premiership do it for a status symbol. Its exactly the same as buying a champion hurdler or derby winner in horse racing. Owning an irish team gives them no kudos at all

[WeAreRovers]

Sean Dunne, the chap who bought Jurys last year for €400m odd, is one of them.

I'm disgusted to see Quinn actively trying to move €50m out of our economy to buy a foreign football club.

KOH

[pete]

Also, just out of info, what kind of annual salary would a player like George O'Callaghan earn at Cork?

Its been mentioned here before so I won't publicise again. Lets just say its more than average irish rugby squad player gets & i think either average or above for an english Championship player. I am sure Shels players earn more & Drogheda if not paying more already would be easily willing to pay more.

[zinedineontour]

Sean Dunne, the chap who bought Jurys last year for €400m odd, is one of them.

I'm disgusted to see Quinn actively trying to move €50m out of our economy to buy a foreign football club.

KOH

Why ? He is investing in a club he loves and has a great relationship with and the people of sunderland. The club has been calling out for investment for years to fulfill its potential and nobody better than quinny to achieve this. Hopefully will go through in the next few weeks and a fair chance Martin O Neill will be at the helm too ... Heres hoping !

[Dodge]

Why ? He is investing in a club he loves and has a great relationship with and the people of sunderland. The club has been calling out for investment for years to fulfill its potential and nobody better than quinny to achieve this. Hopefully will go through in the next few weeks and a fair chance Martin O Neill will be at the helm too ... Heres hoping !
Why? Because he's involved with deciding the clubs that are supposedly going to takeour leagu forward. HOw can they do that if all available investment is being used by his consortium abroad

[thejollyrodger]

He should be spending his cash on an Eircom League team trying to get them into Europe.

[zinedineontour]

He should be spending his cash on an Eircom League team trying to get them into Europe.

yep the glamour of it all over here. Why should he spend it on the Eircom League when he has spent all his career playing in england and has an affinity with sunderland which he would not have over here. Sunderland brought a bigger away following to villa back in may 4000 which is far more than were at a huge game involving shels and derry last week ... Shows how far the lOI is behind ...

[tricky_colour]

Sean Dunne, the chap who bought Jurys last year for €400m odd, is one of them.

I'm disgusted to see Quinn actively trying to move €50m out of our economy to buy a foreign football club.

KOH

Just out of interest does anyone know how many Eircom League clubs
you could buy for 50m Euro (no Euro symbol on my keyboard!!)?

Also you are probably assuming the 50 million is in invested in the Irish economy in the first place. If a Yank can buy Man U (from the Irishmen)
why can't an Irishman buy Sunderland?

[jorge]

yep the glamour of it all over here.

i know all thatglamour of division 1 is far too atrctive.:rolleyes:

[Student Mullet]

Just out of interest does anyone know how many Eircom League clubs you could buy for 50m EuroYou'd get about three quarters of Bohemians.

[tricky_colour]

You'd get about three quarters of Bohemians.


Really? What is their average attendance, in comparison to Sunderlands?
Would a figure of 3,000 be correct? I think Sunderland would be lookinig at
around 7 times that (or more).
Is it a cashback deal?

[WeAreRovers]

yep the glamour of it all over here. Why should he spend it on the Eircom League when he has spent all his career playing in england and has an affinity with sunderland which he would not have over here....

The question is why is he on the committee which will decide the make up of the new league when he is actively trying to take money out of the economy?

I don't care what Quinn does with his mates' cash but it should exclude him from deciding who gets into the new league. Simple as.

KOH

[zinedineontour]

The question is why is he on the committee which will decide the make up of the new league when he is actively trying to take money out of the economy?

I don't care what Quinn does with his mates' cash but it should exclude him from deciding who gets into the new league. Simple as.

KOH

I agree about the committee and Quinn should not be on it if he is pursuing interests in England but dont think just cause Quinn is investing in a club it automatically should be with a LOI club that he has no affinity with.

[zinedineontour]

i know all thatglamour of division 1 is far too atrctive.:rolleyes:

yep 30000 crowds each week im sure he could get that with shels eh ?

[jorge]

i cant really talk but 30000 might be slightly pushing it.

Champions league=glamour
winning league=glamour
and with succes comes other glamerous things.

he can do what he likes but he wont go far with 50 million.

[zinedineontour]

i cant really talk but 30000 might be slightly pushing it.

Champions league=glamour
winning league=glamour
and with succes comes other glamerous things.

he can do what he likes but he wont go far with 50 million.

Not if the consortium takes over 30000 wont be really pushing it at all.. 50 million will easily get promotion into the premiership and with the right backing who knows ? They have the fans and the facilities to be a massive club and with the right backers coming along the good times will roll . When we were last in the championship averaged over 29,000 so with Quinn backing us should be a few more bums on the seats next season .

[Dodge]

Not if the consortium takes over 30000 wont be really pushing it at all.. 50 million will easily get promotion into the premiership and with the right backing who knows ? They have the fans and the facilities to be a massive club and with the right backers coming along the good times will roll . When we were last in the championship averaged over 29,000 so with Quinn backing us should be a few more bums on the seats next season .
So will he be spending his time with Sunderland or doing his FAI job?

[Superhoops]

So will he be spending his time with Sunderland or doing his FAI job?
Depends on who Sunderland's next mananger is. RMK for example? in which case can't see Quinn spending much time there at all.

[Dodge]

entirely not the point..

[zinedineontour]

Depends on who Sunderland's next mananger is. RMK for example? in which case can't see Quinn spending much time there at all.

Martin O Neill .

[Plastic Paddy]

Martin O Neill .

I feel you may be on to something. I for one wouldn't be at all surprised if MON reappears in football at the Stadium of Light.

If I were a betting man...

:ball: PP

[Roverstillidie]

the issue here is simply one of confilict of interest.

Niall Quinn took on a role, an important one at that, within the FAI for not an insubstantial sum of money.

It now emerges he is trying to buy a foreign football side.

He cant do both. If he were buying an EL side it would be worse for obvious reasons.

There is such considerable lack of upset at all these devlinesque conflicts of interest its disturbing. There should be no link, formal or otherwise, between FAI officials and overseas sides

[Poor Student]

You're all also assuming that the committee is truly independent and will go about performing an independent task. It's still my feeling that Delaney et al have an idea of the 12 clubs they want and will guide the committee towards that. I don't think it's all that relevant what Quinn does.

[paul_oshea]

I dont know how true this is, as I havent seen anything on the papers, but a friend of mine told me last night that sean mulryan had bought a 49% stake in sunderland.


http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1608679&issue_id=13999

[DmanDmythDledge]

Consortium in doubt apparently.

http://www.rte.ie/aertel/p226.html

[zinedineontour]

Consortium in doubt apparently.

http://www.rte.ie/aertel/p226.html

From what I know from people working at the club it has been agreed just crosses the t's at the mo should be announced tmow hopefully

[Donal81]

Quinn consortium to complete £50m Sunderland buy-out today

Michael Walker
Thursday June 29, 2006

Guardian

Sunderland are expected to announce today that Niall Quinn's consortium has bought the Wearside club and will take control of it within the next two weeks. The fee is understood to be £10m, some £6m less than had been expected, but the consortium inherits debts of £40m - the total liability is £50m.
The Sunderland chairman, Bob Murray, began clearing his desk at the Stadium of Light yesterday. He will finally depart tomorrow with around £6m.

Quinn is still bound by stock market rules and cannot comment until every document is signed but the 39-year-old former Sunderland captain can set about recruiting a manager now that he knows he has a concrete position to offer.

The negotiations have dragged on longer than Quinn would have liked, with Murray believed to have twice asked for extensions in the last few weeks, but the consortium of Irish businessmen have remained determined to see the project through and are expected to make funds available to the next manager quickly.

The price they have paid for the club for will be seen as a bargain by some but the debts have to be dealt with. Interest payments alone are approximately £4m a year and there will be no Abramovich-style plunge in the transfer market.

One source close to the consortium said last night: "The hard work starts now for everybody. Nobody is underestimating the task but Quinn and his backers are desperate to make Sunderland important again. These people are not viewing Sunderland as an investment opportunity."

Murray denied he had been holding out for more money. "The suggestion is quite hurtful as the truth is actually the opposite. I've always put the club first. I've spent millions acquiring my shares as well as investing, and also given more than 20 years of my life to the club."

[zinedineontour]

Quinn consortium to complete £50m Sunderland buy-out today

Michael Walker
Thursday June 29, 2006

Guardian

Sunderland are expected to announce today that Niall Quinn's consortium has bought the Wearside club and will take control of it within the next two weeks. The fee is understood to be £10m, some £6m less than had been expected, but the consortium inherits debts of £40m - the total liability is £50m.
The Sunderland chairman, Bob Murray, began clearing his desk at the Stadium of Light yesterday. He will finally depart tomorrow with around £6m.

Quinn is still bound by stock market rules and cannot comment until every document is signed but the 39-year-old former Sunderland captain can set about recruiting a manager now that he knows he has a concrete position to offer.

The negotiations have dragged on longer than Quinn would have liked, with Murray believed to have twice asked for extensions in the last few weeks, but the consortium of Irish businessmen have remained determined to see the project through and are expected to make funds available to the next manager quickly.

The price they have paid for the club for will be seen as a bargain by some but the debts have to be dealt with. Interest payments alone are approximately £4m a year and there will be no Abramovich-style plunge in the transfer market.

One source close to the consortium said last night: "The hard work starts now for everybody. Nobody is underestimating the task but Quinn and his backers are desperate to make Sunderland important again. These people are not viewing Sunderland as an investment opportunity."

Murray denied he had been holding out for more money. "The suggestion is quite hurtful as the truth is actually the opposite. I've always put the club first. I've spent millions acquiring my shares as well as investing, and also given more than 20 years of my life to the club."

oneill and alex mc leish already been sounded out about the job. Better be O Neill

[A face]

Pete, what conditions do you think are required to attact money from the same type of investors into the domestic game rather than abroad?

Also, just out of info, what kind of annual salary would a player like George O'Callaghan earn at Cork?

What in gods name does this have to do with this topic?? You're not very good at this debating lark are you, getting all muddled up like ya'are .... god bless us !! :(

[NeilMcD]

He said just out of info. It seem pretty clear to me that it was an aside and not part of the general debate.

[Dodge]

He said just out of info. It seem pretty clear to me that it was an aside and not part of the general debate.
Nah it was a swipe.

Let it go now...

[A face]

not part of the general debate.

Above is my only concern, well that and the glaring lack of media interest that this is actually happening.

[Clifford]

From the bbc sports web site, Quinn agrees deal at Sunderland

Quinn remains hugely popular with the Sunderland fans
Niall Quinn's consortium have reached a settlement on a £10m cash offer in their takeover bid for Sunderland.
Quinn has an irrevocable agreement with the three major shareholders and now has a 21-day period to try and acquire the rest of the shares.

Former chairman Bob Murray has given the Irishman permission to start looking for a new manager immediately.

Ex-striker Quinn, 39, spent the last six years of his career on Wearside and was a hugely popular figure.

Quinn said: "My consortium are buying into the wonderful potential at the club and wish to help enable it to regain the status it truly deserves.

"I am personally delighted on behalf of my company Drumaville to be in position to present this offer to the shareholders of Sunderland.

"We believe this hrealds a new beginning for Sunderland, but it's only going to happen if everyone comes together in a joint effort."

Sunderland sacked former boss Mick McCarthy in March and Kevin Ball took temporary charge until the end of the season.

Ball returned to his post in the club's academy after Sunderland were relegated and Kevin Richardson was appointed manager on 22 June until a new boss was in place.

I really want to knit everybody back together again so the people of Sunderland will see what this club is all about

Niall Quinn

"Over the last few weeks, I've made it quite plain that I believe it's one of the greatest football clubs in the world that is in fantastic shape everywhere but on the pitch.

"I hope that by being a former player here, by knowing what makes things tick at Sunderland, that I will add something intriguing and new that a chairman perhaps hasn't been in a position to do before here, all based with an emphasis to getting it right on the pitch.

"I can't thank the people involved enough for allowing this to happen, especially Bob Murray, who agreed with me it was time for a difference to be made and paved the way for me to do that.

"I really want to knit everybody back together again so the people of Sunderland will see what this club is all about, they will see the passion again and the football team can be reunited to the fans.

"That's the biggest message I want to give about my term here.

"I know what it's like when these fans are behind the team and the team plays to it's maximum potential.

"I really firmly believe if I can reconnect the players to the people and the club in general to the people, and the passion flows around the stadium with its positive charges, this team will get back to where it deserves to be."

[NeilMcD]

Nah it was a swipe.

Let it go now...


Well I have posted on this forum for a while and I dont think I have seen Stuttgart make a swipe at anybody on this forum but I will let him defend himself I suppose. Just dont think it was a swipe rather a question and a search for info.

[A face]

Well I have posted on this forum for a while and I dont think I have seen Stuttgart make a swipe at anybody on this forum but I will let him defend himself I suppose. Just dont think it was a swipe rather a question and a search for info.

Alright ... rather than getting bogged down in this i'll answer it.

Its not clear what he is exactly getting abut i can confirm its over €1000 a week.

[Patrick Dunne]

Handy money for a pub league ;)

[Stuttgart88]

Thanks Neil. It most definitely wasn't a swipe, just a genuine request for info as the precursor suggested. I didn't realise that a small digression is forbidden on foot.ie these days.

Anyone who reads my posts will know that I'm a firm advocate of doing whatever we can to keep our best young players in Ireland rather than scrapping away in the lower leagues in the UK. Whether we can afford to pay them on the same terms is a pretty obvious factor.

Also, consistent with the early posts on this thread is the issue of investing at home rather than abroad. In making a back of the envelope estimate of how much would be required to invest in and improve a good eL club, knowing what a good players expects to earn is a pretty key factor. I posed the question to Pete, and about George O'Callaghan, as (a) Pete was on the forum at the time (he responded to the first post within seconds), and (b) of all the people on this board I reckoned he'd have a good idea.

Dodge, you couldn't have been further off the mark in stating it was a swipe and I trust you & A Face are satisfied as such. I'm actually amazed the original intent could be distorted so much. If I'd wanted to take a swipe at anyone or anything trust me, I'd leave no room for ambiguity.

[NeilMcD]

Nah it was a swipe.

Let it go now...


Probably should have been you that let it go to be honest. Great answer Stuttgart.

[Dodge]

Probably should have been you that let it go to be honest. Great answer Stuttgart.
I was doing the mod bit...

[zinedineontour]

Brilliant press conference by Quinn.. Delighted its all going through now. Hopefully we can tie up things with O Neill in the next few days.

[CraftyToePoke]

What in gods name does this have to do with this topic?? You're not very good at this debating lark are you, getting all muddled up like ya'are .... god bless us !! :(

if you cant see how this is related, then i fear the muddled and befuddled one is you..:rolleyes:



Nah it was a swipe.

Let it go now...

strongly believe it wasnt.

[CraftyToePoke]

Brilliant press conference by Quinn.. Delighted its all going through now. Hopefully we can tie up things with O Neill in the next few days.

good times ahead for you lot then, do you think? if O'Neil doesnt end up there, who would you like to see in charge?

[Stuttgart88]

Australia Defender Neill Considers Investing in A-League Soccer
2006-07-04 03:40 (New York)


By Dan Baynes
July 4 (Bloomberg) -- Australia defender Lucas Neill, who
helped the 42nd-ranked soccer team reach the second round of the
World Cup, said he's considering investing in the country's
fledgling A-League competition.
Neill, who has been touted as a future Socceroos captain,
told Sydney radio station 2KY that he's getting together a group
that will assess the possibility of buying into a team in the
league, which began last year.
``We have got some good people who are willing to put their
money where their mouth is,'' Neill told 2KY. ``We think we can
actually push it to the next benchmark, raise the game, make
clubs in Australia profitable.''
The A-League attracted about 1.5 million fans in its
inaugural season, although the eight teams had combined losses of
A$16 million ($11.9 million), according to the Sydney Morning
Herald. The competition it replaced, the National Soccer League,
lost about A$60 million in its last four years.
The 28-year-old Neill, who plays for English Premiership
team Blackburn Rovers, said he was yet to discuss his plans with
Football Federation Australia, which runs the league.
``It might not be that easy but what I'm trying to do is put
back into Australian football and the Australian community,'' he
added.


I saw this article earlier today. Again, back to my earlier question: why do the newly rich (or even old moneyed) in Ireland not see fit to invest in our domestic game? Our senior players and ex-players could even spearhead such an investment.

In my opinion it's terrible that players like Keith Gilroy would prefer to play for Burton Albion than a club at home. Or Michael Reddy for Grimsby and so on. I accept that players might prefer the Championship (big crowds, good pay, prospects of promotion or getting noticed for a transfer etc.) but non-league / Div 1 or 2...?


Accompanying interpretation: this post is for information & discussion purposes only. There is no subliminal attempt to offend or cause stress to anyone.

[Dodge]

Accompanying interpretation: this post is for information & discussion purposes only. There is no subliminal attempt to offend or cause stress to anyone.
Trying to double bluff us now, eh smartypants???? No deal!!!!

[CraftyToePoke]

Neill's mother and father are both Irish anyway, so if the man's feeling flaithiulach, then surely he should be coughing some of that currency towards us? ;)

[CraftyToePoke]

Trying to double bluff us now, eh smartypants???? No deal!!!!


dug our own hole have we eh?? not so smartypants, perhaps. X

[A face]

Accompanying interpretation: this post is for information & discussion purposes only. There is no subliminal attempt to offend or cause stress to anyone.

I hear ya, i hear ya !! :p