Quinn’s patience a welcome change in an otherwise panic-stricken business

The vast minefield that is the world of football management saw a striking contrast this week.

As of Monday morning, the two sides without a managerial figurehead sat in 18th and 19th position respectively. However, whilst Blackburn looked to quickly fill the gap left by the outgoing Paul Ince, and did so in their appointment of Sam Allardyce, their fellow relegation candidates Sunderland seem content to bide their time in the search for a man to replace the ever-surprising Roy Keane.

Rovers’ chairman John Williams perhaps believed that in order to stave off discontent amongst the fans, it would be suitable to get a new man in place as quickly as possible. Furthermore, he probably reasoned that the man who would take Ince’s place needed to have experience in both working on a limited budget, and on staving off relegation successfully. His choice of Allardyce would most certainly reflect this.

However, up in the north-east, Niall Quinn need not worry about displeased fans. The man has a God-like presence in those parts, so much so that even when he briefly managed the side and presided over a shocking League Cup defeat at Bury (who were, at the time, propping up League 2) he was still welcomed home with open arms.

It is perhaps for this reason then, that he has not rushed into appointing Keane’s replacement as quickly as his counterpart Williams. Maybe, knowing his adopted club as well as he does, he remembers the farcical appointment of Howard Wilkinson that followed Peter Reid’s departure in 2003, a decision that saw the club relegated from the top division with a paltry 19 points.

And of course, why not?

Thus far Quinn’s reluctance to hurry himself in picking a man to steer Sunderland away from the relegation zone has proved of no hindrance to the side’s performances. Following Keane’s departure, the experienced Ricky Sbragia was entrusted with regaining a dressing room that many believed was lost.

Thrown in well and truly at the deep end, the former Manchester United coach returned to Old Trafford and would have ground out a glorious 0-0 draw were it not for Nemanja Vidic’s 91st minute heartbreaker. However, the heartening fact was that the team had undoubtedly showed spirit, something which was sadly lacking in Keane’s final days.

Buoyed by this, they came home a week later and demolished an albeit poor West Brom side. Such is the pleasure with which Sbragia’s influence has been met, that many have now tipped him to get the job full-time.

Sbragia though, is far from alone in being linked with stepping fully into the Stadium of Light hotseat, and perhaps this explains Quinn and his fellow board members making sure their selection is carefully chosen.

If newspaper reports and voices emanating from within the club are to be believed, over thirty managers have put their names forward for the post, and amongst them are a plethora of international stars.

The latest to have their odds shortened by the bookies are Slaven Bilic, the Croatian coach, and none other than Roberto Mancini, the former Inter Milan manager.

Bilic has enjoyed bringing the best out of an underrated Croatia, whilst Mancini guided the Nerazzurri to three Serie A titles in succession. That two names are even mentioned in the same sentence as the phrase ‘Sunderland manager’ is testament to how far the club has come.

And this is why it is vital for Quinn to preside carefully over the decision. Whilst it would be ridiculously premature to say Williams’ decision to quickly instill Allardyce will prove fruitless, it must be said that it has all the makings of a panic decision.

The matter is further complicated by the fact that many hotly tipped Allardyce to take the Sunderland job, and he himself declared a great interest in it. The fact that he now finds himself in charge at Ewood Park gives strength to many people’s belief that Quinn and American magnate Ellis Short, a man who recently acquired a majority stake in the club, are looking to ‘go foreign’ in order to progress Sunderland to the next level.

Whoever takes over the reins at the Stadium of Light, it is refreshing to see some sanity and patience for once, as opposed to the panic that usually prevails.