Sunderland legend backs Roy Keane for Stadium of Light job amid manager talks

Roy Keane is the leading contender to be the next Sunderland manager – and he has been backed by a club legend.
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Keane is open to a return to management and has admitted in recent years that he feels he has unfinished business in the North East.

He is understood to be willing to listen to what the club has to say, though club sources have stressed that talks were ongoing with multiple candidates, and that no final decisions had been made.

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On Wednesday, SAFC confirmed the appointment of Mike Dodds as head of an interim management team, which was an indication that at that stage no successor to Lee Johnson was imminent and that one might not be in place for Saturday's visit of Doncaster Rovers.

Roy Keane is a leading contender for Sunderland job. (Photo by Nick Potts - Getty Images).Roy Keane is a leading contender for Sunderland job. (Photo by Nick Potts - Getty Images).
Roy Keane is a leading contender for Sunderland job. (Photo by Nick Potts - Getty Images).

However, Keane has emerged as the leading contender over the last 24-hours – and he would prove a popular choice with the fanbase as the club targets promotion back to the Championship.

Sunderland legend Micky Gray has told talkSPORT: “There have been a dozen names that have been mentioned there, I think Roy Keane has come from the back to the front.

“He’s obviously been at the club before and he was very successful, he got us into the Premier League where we stayed for a long time.

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“I know Roy had left for a period when we were still in the Premier League, but I think he’d be a good appointment and I think the supporters will get right behind it.”

The former Sunderland defender added: “I don’t think he needs to change at all.

“He got the best out of the team he had last time, yes he was able to bring in the players he wanted to bring to the football club and I think he was given that opportunity because we had wealthy owners.

“But it was his first stint in management and he did a fantastic job.

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“The Sunderland support have certainly bought into Roy Keane, I know there are a few other names that have been touted around and I think over the last couple of seasons people are looking into Roy’s character because of what we see on television.

“I know he’s got that fire in his belly and he’s passionate about his football. He’s been a coach at Aston Villa and Ireland and he’s had a few other jobs.

“But I can only judge him on what I saw at Sunderland and the style of football he brought to the club and at the time all of the supporters absolutely loved that.

“So if he can get that going again, there’s no reason why the Sunderland supporters wouldn’t love him again,” he added.

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Sunderland host Doncaster Rovers at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon in League One, the game will see the return of Jermain Defoe after he signed on deadline day.

It has been the most dramatic of weeks on Wearside and the return of Keane would certainly add to the excitement in Sunderland.

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