"Within 10 seconds I thought what I'm waiting for? It's a big club, a beautiful stadium, a big fan base, so why not?"

- On receiving a phone call from Niall Quinn offering him the Sunderland job.

"In terms of style I've played under some great managers, some good managers and some maybe not so good. I hope I can take the best of all of them."

- On his appointment as Sunderland manager.

"I'm going to be on a learning curve and it's one I'm looking forward to. People go on about my inexperience, but one or two managers with experience have not worked out at Sunderland."

- A tribute to one of his Sunderland predecessors . . . Mick McCarthy.

"You can only bring in kids from a certain radius and a lot of our radius is in the water. Any good fish out there?"

- Deep-sea diving for talent in the north-east.

"I've got plenty of money, I don't need to be siging new contracts, I've been very lucky. I'm very happy at Sunderland, I have another year left on my contract - but what do contracts mean any way? If I lose the next five or six games I'll probably be sacked any way."

- A premonition of sorts, in April 2008.

"I ask myself every single day if I am the right man for Sunderland. I asked myself this morning and said I was. Tomorrow morning if the answer is 'no' we will have to look at it. It's not about what's best for Roy Keane, it's what's best for Sunderland."

- After the 4-1 home defeat by Bolton - what proved to be his last game in charge of Sunderland.