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Sunderland closes in on Martin O'Neill as replacement for Steve Bruce but Mark Hughes still in contention for vacant manager's post
The Black Cats are hoping the former Aston Villa boss will restore the feel good factor on Wearside as club owner Ellis Short tries to halt slide towards Championship
Dec 1, 2011 6:40:00 PM
By Rob Stewart
Sunderland is confident former Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill will accept the challenge of steering the Wearside club away from relegation after interest in Mark Hughes cooled.
Former Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has taken the lead in a charm offensive towards the out-of-work O’Neill and has opened talks in London with the former Northern Ireland international who supported the Wearside club as a boy.
O’Neill is now the front-runner in the race to replace Steve Bruce after the Sunderland hierarchy moved to win over disillusioned fans, and although contact has been made with Hughes, the position is his former rival’s to turn down.
Quinn, who is now international development director at the Stadium of Light, has led the negotiations while club owner Ellis Short has remained in the background as the Premier League strugglers seek a replacement for Bruce, who was sacked on Wednesday.
Bruce was given the boot following a run of two wins in 13 league games and a humiliating Carling Cup exit at the hands of newly promoted League One side Brighton & Hove Albion.
The decision to move for O’Neill rather than Hughes will appease disgruntled Black Cats fans who have been clamoring for the one-time Leicester City manager since Peter Reid was dismissed nine years ago.
“Discussions with Martin O’Neill are ongoing and they are optimistic that although there are still a few hurdles to negotiate that they can give him the assurances that he needs before taking the job on,” a source close to the talks told Goal.com.
“There is a willingness on both sides to get something sorted out. Martin O’Neill knows that he won’t get a bigger job than the one at Sunderland.
“Mark Hughes is still on the shortlist, but the feeling is that Martin O’Neill will get the fans back onside. He’s the fans’ favourite and he’ll be a crowd pleaser.”
O’Neill has been out of work since dramatically quitting Villa, but according to reports on Wearside he has been given a glowing reference by club owner Randy Lerner to his fellow American businessman Short.
Hughes remains on the Sunderland radar thanks to his endeavours at Blackburn where he turned the Ewood Park club into a mid-table Premier League club before taking over at Manchester City.
Former Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has taken the lead in a charm offensive towards the out-of-work O’Neill and has opened talks in London with the former Northern Ireland international who supported the Wearside club as a boy.
O’Neill is now the front-runner in the race to replace Steve Bruce after the Sunderland hierarchy moved to win over disillusioned fans, and although contact has been made with Hughes, the position is his former rival’s to turn down.
Quinn, who is now international development director at the Stadium of Light, has led the negotiations while club owner Ellis Short has remained in the background as the Premier League strugglers seek a replacement for Bruce, who was sacked on Wednesday.
Bruce was given the boot following a run of two wins in 13 league games and a humiliating Carling Cup exit at the hands of newly promoted League One side Brighton & Hove Albion.
The decision to move for O’Neill rather than Hughes will appease disgruntled Black Cats fans who have been clamoring for the one-time Leicester City manager since Peter Reid was dismissed nine years ago.
“Discussions with Martin O’Neill are ongoing and they are optimistic that although there are still a few hurdles to negotiate that they can give him the assurances that he needs before taking the job on,” a source close to the talks told Goal.com.
“There is a willingness on both sides to get something sorted out. Martin O’Neill knows that he won’t get a bigger job than the one at Sunderland.
“Mark Hughes is still on the shortlist, but the feeling is that Martin O’Neill will get the fans back onside. He’s the fans’ favourite and he’ll be a crowd pleaser.”
O’Neill has been out of work since dramatically quitting Villa, but according to reports on Wearside he has been given a glowing reference by club owner Randy Lerner to his fellow American businessman Short.
Hughes remains on the Sunderland radar thanks to his endeavours at Blackburn where he turned the Ewood Park club into a mid-table Premier League club before taking over at Manchester City.
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