SAFC 10 YEARS ON: Fergie on Keane's job at Sunderland, Mocquet must wait

Here's what the Echo was reporting on SAFC 10 years ago today.

CATS JOB IS TOO GOOD TO RESIST – FERGIE: Sir Alex Ferguson says Roy Keane probably found the Sunderland job too good to resist, despite his lack of managerial experience.

The Irishman is expected to take over at the Stadium of Light next week and some have raised eyebrows about the fact that he has taken on such a big job for his first foray into management.

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But Manchester United boss Ferguson saw parallels with his own route into management when he spoke of his former skipper yesterday.

The Old Trafford chief said: “It is a bit earlier than I thought but, in football, sometimes tomorrow never comes.

“This opportunity has come up and, if he is taking it, that thought is maybe uppermost in his mind.

“You don’t want to be out of the game too long, which is the same advice I received when I quit playing.

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“Sunderland are a club with a great history. They have a fantastic support base, a good stadium and apparently, they have a fantastic training ground.

“Everything is there but it won’t be easy because no management job is these days because of the media, the agents and the amount of power the players have.”

CHIEF SCOUT LEAVES SUNDERLAND: Sunderland have parted company with chief scout Dave Bowman.

Both parties say it was an amicable decision and have wished each other the best. Bowman, who is now considering offers from three clubs, was brought to the Stadium of Light by Mick McCarthy, who he had worked with closely for the Republic of Ireland.

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He led the Black Cats’ talent-spotting network, which landed the likes of Dean Whitehead, Stephen Elliott and Liam Lawrence.

But Bowman says he was unable to accept Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn’s offer of a changed role with the Wearsiders.

HYSEN GETS GREEN LIGHT, BUT MOCQUET MUST WAIT: Sunderland’s £1.7m new boy Tobias Hysen has been cleared to play in the Black Cats’ home game against West Brom on Monday.

The Sweden international winger received international clearance in time, but Frenchman William Mocquet will have to wait after his paperwork was not processed soon enough.

Hysen is likely to start the Baggies clash, possibly in front of Roy Keane, who is expected to be in the crowd but not in charge of the team.