The Corkman’s exit in December handed Ricky Sbragia the chance to step up as the chairman made a surprise appointment, but he is adamant that progress continues to be made.

Answering fans’ questions on SAFC TV, he said: “To stay up this year is key and we won’t look much further.

“To stay up would be good – two solid years [in the Premier League] and then you are ready to go again.

“We will look to dress it up in the summer and kick on again.

“Two fifths of the journey is done. I don’t know what the end goal is.

“The club are making waves, but it’s the toughest league in the world. We are starting to build something here and Ricky is very important to that.

“His coaching is very good, we are playing really good football. We just need a bit of strengthening here and there.”

Quinn was so impressed with Sbragia’s performance as caretaker boss in the immediate aftermath of Keane’s departure that he asked him to take the job on a permanent basis at the end of December.

The fact Sbragia was handed only an 18-month contract led some observers to believe he was only keeping the seat warm for somebody else.

However, Quinn is delighted with the qualities the former Bolton and Manchester United coach has brought to the job as he has lifted the Black Cats eight points clear of the drop zone, and is confident he will remain on Wearside beyond the confines of his current deal.

He said: “Everyone is thrilled with the way it’s working out.

“Ricky has put his own stamp on it, he’s working hard and he has a great approach to the job. Results have been good and the team are playing better.

“Ricky has signed a kind of halfway house contract, 18 months, to give him a feel of it, for both sides to be happy with where we are going.

“But I would envisage him being here a lot longer.”

Sbragia admitted on more than one occasion last month that he could have done without the January transfer window coming so soon in his reign as he attempted to run the rule over a series of potential targets.

He eventually signed Tal Ben Haim and Calum Davenport on loan, while allowing Keane’s summer captures Pascal Chimbonda and El-Hadji Diouf to leave the club - and Quinn revealed that the manager will not take chances in the transfer market.

He said: “We always have a plan around six months ahead. One of the interesting things about the recent transfer window is that Ricky got the job just before it opened.

“He didn’t want to sign players he had not seen personally and that was reflected in his policy.

“Of the players who came in, Tal Ben-Haim worked with Ricky at Bolton and we have seen Calum Davenport play week in, week out.

“We will see what those loan deals come to at the end of the season.

“Ricky is already scouting for next season. Clubs always take a punt on buying a player, but Ricky wants his punt to be as structured as possible.”