Quinn knocks back takeover rumours at struggling Sunderland

NIALL QUINN has expressed his shock at being linked with a return to the Sunderland boardroom and insists he has not held talks with the owner, Ellis Short, about a takeover of the struggling club. The Dubliner was chairman at the Stadium of Light when manager Roy Keane guided them to promotion to the Premier League in 2007. However, they are now rock bottom of the Championship and five points from safety as they stare relegation to League One in the face. But Quinn (pictured) is adamant he won’t be the man to lead any revival in the near future. ‘I would like to see it improved but I just don’t think it’s going to be me. I haven’t been approached by a consortium to head them up,’ he said at an event in which he was confirmed as an ambassador for the Para Swimming Allianz European Championships. ‘I haven’t spoken to Ellis Short. I don’t have a consortium with money to even think about it. One or two people approached me but not to lead them, just to get some information and work out some stuff about football, that’s what happened.’ On the international front, Quinn believes Sean Maguire is the man to lead the line for the Republic of Ireland as Martin O’Neill forms the nucleus of a new team. ‘His finishing ability is exceptional. The different bits to his game really impress me. ‘If I was him I would just keep practising his finishing, every day after training, I would stay behind, let the others drive home in their cars, and really get used to that feeling, take the time. ‘Hopefully over this series of games coming up he’ll find the back of the net because once you find it, you’re off and running. I would have Maguire ahead of anybody to do that,’ Quinn said.