Niall Quinn is hoping to go public with the details of his proposed takeover at Sunderland later this week.

The former Sunderland and Republic of Ireland hero has outlined his ambition to ensure the Wearsiders eclipse Newcastle as the North East's number one club.

Quinn has put together a consortium of Irish businessmen to buy current chairman Bob Murray's controlling interest in the club.

He believes he now has the finance in place, although he does not yet know exatly how much Murray would want for his stake.

Quinn said: "I do not know how much they are going to look for but my worries now would not be financial at this stage unless Sunderland go mad.

"It is not about putting money on the table and making an offer for a football club.

"We have to prove to ourselves, before we go near any fans or any club, we are capable of running a football club.

"It is a jungle, as I have found out in the last three weeks.

"It is not a simple thing at all and that is what I am in the middle of, making sure myself and my group are capable of doing a job this club deserves.

"Until we get to the bottom of that we cannot possibly approach Sunderland.

"We want to be ready for Sunderland so every question they ask we can answer them dynamically about what is going to happen."

Quinn has also been put forward as a possible candidate for the next permanent Sunderland manager and, if his takeover works out, he has not ruled that out.

He said: "I am afraid of nothing at that football club.

"When I was up there it was like being on a magic carpet when things were going well.

"The emotion of the people when they are in good form and the club is going well is something to behold.

"Newcastle get 53,000 and they are a pretty big club. Everybody thinks they are far bigger than Sunderland but I know if this club goes right we will be bigger than Newcastle.

"That is what attaches to me to it. It is the potential, it is the people, it is their spirit."

Quinn's plans for a takeover have been the subject of much speculation but this is the first time the 39-year-old has spoken about his interest.

The frontman spent six years with the Wearsiders - helping the club to successive seventh-place finishes in the Premiership in 2000 and 2001.