Quinn continues battle to bring in some star quality

The Black Cats boss last week tabled a £3m offer for Tottenham Hotspur's wide man Andy Reid, and is expected to up that offer next week as he looks to inject some much-needed width into his misfiring side.

Quinn will also know by Monday morning if his bid to bring back fans' favourite Kevin Philips has been successful.

Sunderland's valuation of Reid, who cost Spurs £4m from Nottingham Forest last year, is different to that of the north London side but Quinn insisted the deal is not dead.

"We've not been given permission to speak to the player," said Quinn ahead of Sunderland's game against Plymouth this afternoon.

"We've been given permission to speak to the agent, who said he'd be happy to speak to us if a deal is agreed with Spurs.

"We're finding it very difficult to reach a sensible agreement with them. I wouldn't like to go into too much detail but at this stage we're just a little bit apart, we can't be taken to the cleaners.

"I spoke to Andy Reid's agent and I said if a deal is agreed it's important to get him up here to show what can be achieved. We've a frighteningly big club, that's been in the doldrums and is waiting to take off again.

"When Arnau Riera came here he said this place is ten times better than Barca - that gave us all a tonic all right.

"There's a lot about this club that has to improve but we're working hard on that. And we'll get more exciting targets.

"We've got to walk before we can run. We have to show the top-tier players that this is a place to come."

Sunderland have not been short of offers from clubs and agents but Quinn insists they aren't necessarily the type of players he has in mind.

"The toughest job I have is to convince people from the league above ours that we're ready for take-off and just need a hand," he said.

"I have 100 players a day shoved in my face but they'll only come in if they make a difference. That's a deal I've struck with the fans."

Sunderland's move for Phillips may be a perplexing one in that case.

The Aston Villa striker, who recently turned 33, has shown little of the prolific form which won him the first of his eight England caps six years ago while at the Stadium of Light.

But Quinn believes Phillips arrival on Wearside, should it happen, would help the develop the club's current crop of talented young forwards, rather than undermine it.

"We're only going for top-drawer players like Kevin Phillips and Andy Reid, players I feel will really bring something to the club and help us," said the 39-year-old Dubliner, who has presided over two Championship defeats since taking the managerial reigns.

"I'm led to believe from the Aston Villa chief executive that a decision will be made on Kevin's future on Monday and we're anxiously awaiting that.

"Our front players can't be blamed at all because they're not missing chances, it's just we're not creating them.

"If I brought Kevin to the club it will show my strikers what being a front player is all about. Jonathan Stead has it in him to be a top player. Kevin Kyle has had a couple of tough years but will come good and Chris Brown is getting more calls about his availability than anyone at the club.

"Kevin's not going to play 46 games and score 35 goals. He would be part of a rotational system where he comes in because we've an awful lot of games. And I can't expect Stephen Elliott to play every game with the injuries he's had."

Sunderland host Ian Holloway's Pilgrims, who have a win and a draw from their opening fixtures.

Quinn's charismatic counterpart was one of the first managers to give him a call when he agreed to take over at the Stadium of Light - and it wasn't just to wish him well.

"He rang me on my first day and tried to get three of my players off me," laughed Quinn.

"He's canny. He did wish me all the best but I think it was a bit of a rouse. I told him there was nothing doing - we know how the game works and learn very quickly."