Sunderland AFC news: 'Forget Roy Keane' - EFL chairman tells Black Cats to appoint ex-Hull City and Peterborough United boss

Lee Johnson was sacked 10 days ago after the Wearsiders lost 6-0 away from home to Bolton Wanderers.

Since then, Sunderland have failed to appoint a manager and have slipped to further League One defeats against bottom-placed Doncaster Rovers and Cheltenham Town, who were without a win in 13 coming into the game.

Roy Keane continues to be linked with the job he vacated in 2008 after leading the Black Cats to the Premier League.

Alex Neil, Sabri Lamouchi and Grant McCann have also spoken to Sunderland.

Peterborough United chairman Darragh McAnthony believes ex-Hull City and Posh boss McCann to be the standout candidate for the Wearsiders.

"Gutted for him,” McAthony said of McCann’s sacking at second-tier Hull City on his Hard Truth Podcast. “Trying circumstances. He won a league title and was keeping them in the league this year with not the biggest budget.

"He has really become a great manager and I’m really happy and proud of him. I think Sunderland’s best bit of business that they could do is give him the job.

"I think he would get Sunderland out of League One.

"If you want my honest opinion then it’s him or my manager [Darren Ferguson] – I’m not trying to sell by my manager by the way.

"I’m just astonished that a multiple winner of League One promotions Grant McCann as a player and a manager.

“He is perfect for Sunderland with the philosophy of the new owner because he’s used to my philosophy of young players and what he’s done at Hull with younger players.

"Forget Roy Keane, forget about a big name manager, I think Grant McCann and his staff would do an incredible job.”

McAnthony also delivered his verdict on the sacking of Johnson following the Bolton embarrassment.

Asked if he was surprised at the sacking, McAthnony added: “After losing 6-0 to Bolton, no!

"He had some runs where they lost three or four games and they didn’t just lose, they were battered.”

"Then they went on runs when they were third in the league. Unfortunately, it looks like Wigan and Rotherham could potentially run away with that league.

"I understand that the new owner is impatient and he doesn’t want to be hanging around League One.

"I would imagine that maybe Johnson wasn’t fully on board with the policy. Maybe they had recruitment disagreements.

"I don’t know if that is true but it’s for Lee to come out and tell the truth. It is always harsh when you fire a manager who is third in the league.

"Then again, I fired a manager I think when we were fifth or seventh in League One. Gary Johnson. That wasn’t about football.

"I got rid of Steve Evans, again it was a philosophy problem and there was a breakdown.

"The 6-0 may have given an opportunity for the owner to do what he wanted to do anyway.”

"The next appointment is important, I’ve seen Roy Keane has been linked with the job but I can’t get my head around it because he isn’t someone who is going to listen to a 24-year-old owner.”

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