Ellis Short is looking at the long-term

Mar 13 2011 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

BILLIONAIRE owner Ellis Short’s long-term aim is to safeguard Sunderland’s future by making the club self-sufficient, according to Niall Quinn.

US-born Short has pumped anywhere between £70-100m into the Black Cats since first taking a stake in the club in 2008, and then buying it outright the following year.

His cash has been used to turn Sunderland into an established Premier League side by financing an unprecedented spending spree that has seen the likes of Darren Bent, Asamoah Gyan, Lee Cattermole, Michael Turner, Stephane Sessegnon arrive on Wearside.

But new rules being introduced by European football’s governing body UEFA mean that clubs will have to show they can balance their books rather than constantly run at a loss, or risk being banned from taking part in money-spinning competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League.

And that means any club like Sunderland with European ambitions will have to learn to live within its means, rather than rely on a wealthy benefactor.

“Ellis isn’t in this for profit and he doesn’t want the profile – that’s why he leaves me to run things,” said chairman Quinn.

“But he is totally immersed in this journey.

“It’s a passion for him to see his club making it and getting there.

“He’s a successful guy and he has a winning attitude.

“He hasn’t come in and fiddled around with this – he has come in and driven it aggressively from day one in order to succeed.

“Why does he do that? Well, it would be a great story for him if we maximised the club’s potential, got it up to where it belongs and safeguard its future by becoming self-sufficient.

“That’s a tough ask, but we have a man who, like me, shares that vision and believes it can be achieved.”

Quinn also insists he remains fully committed to Sunderland – despite reaffirming his belief that football chairmen have a shelf-life.

Quinn has been in day-to-day control at Sunderland since 2006, first as the frontman for the Irish-based Drumaville consortium and currently as Short’s trusted lieutenant.

The 44-year-old has previously said that there will come a time for him to make way for someone else, but he says that day is still a long way off.

“I haven’t changed my opinion on that at all,” he said. “There will be a time, but it’s not yet.

“This place still has great potential and it’s my job as chairman and protector to bring that out.”