Back of the Net!

The remarkable transfer dealings of Sunderland AFC over the summer have raised eyebrows beyond Wearside and Teesside as Roy Keane - backed by chairman Niall Quinn and the money of countless Irish businessmen - raided Tottenham Hotspur and now West Ham United in order to build a team worthy of the Premiership.

While Middlesbrough FC have spent quietly and wisely - preferring to concentrate on promoting players from within - and Newcastle United have struggled to sign players of note, Sunderland seem to have effortlessly signed virtually how and who they wanted.

After a season of consolidation following their promotion, they’re certainly going the right way about it. But how has Roy Keane succeeded where Kevin Keegan has failed?

I’ll discuss Newcastle’s failings another time - but tell me this, how often do you hear the name Niall Quinn these days?  After taking charge of the club, the big soft-spoken Irishman has quietly stepped back from the limelight in order to let his manager and players do the talking.  The attitude at the Stadium of Light has been nothing less than exemplary, with boardroom shenanigans and sharedealing kept firmly out of the public eye.

A start contrast with Mike Ashley’s Newcastle.

Roy Keane has a settled environment, great facilities and a supportive chairman.  This, and of course his own determination and inspiring character has enabled Sunderland to sign David Healy, Steed Malbranque, Djibril Cisse, Pascal Chimbonda, Teemu Tainio, and El-Hadji Diouf, while at the time of writing Anton Ferdinand (brother of Manchester United and England defender Rio) is undergoing a medical.

Massively significant signings by a man set to make a massive impact in club management if his two managerial mentors - Brian Clough OBE and Sir Alex Ferguson - are anything to go by.

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