Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has been speaking on the Off The Ball YouTube channel to discuss the latest in Sunderland’s pursuit of Roy Keane.
It is believed the Wearside club are set to interview the Irishman over their vacant managerial role having parted ways with Lee Johnson at the weekend.
Is Roy Keane your first choice for the job?
Yes
No
Sunderland remain in a promising position to gain promotion to the Championship, however, they are in danger of losing ground on the top two, who hold games in hand on the Black Cats.
And Hope believes a short-term deal – believed to be on the table – would appeal to Keane, who has been out of management since 2019 when he was the assistant manager of Nottingham Forest.
Discussing the latest on Thursday morning, he said: “I understand the latest this morning is that face-to-face talks are set to take place. He is, for the majority within the club, the number-one choice in a short-term role between now and the end of the season.
“And I think something like that would appeal to Keane, I really do. The chance to come in and take over a side – listen, they’re only two points off the automatic promotion places, you’ve got Jermain Defoe coming back last week as well. There is all of a sudden a romance around the club.”
TIF Thoughts on a short-term deal for Roy Keane…
We think this would be the perfect deal for both parties given the position Sunderland find themselves in the League One table with 17 games remaining.
An instant impact is obviously what the Wearside club will be hoping for from whoever becomes their new manager, with an automatic promotion spot still within their grasp.
And Keane could certainly be viewed as someone who can bring that having already proven he is capable of gaining promotion with Sunderland from his previous stint at the Stadium of Light.
If Keane was appointed, regardless of the outcome this season, if it were only on a short-term deal, it would allow the Sunderland board to reassess their plans come the end of the campaign if they do not feel Keane had shown signs of being their long-term solution.
In other news: Kyril Louis-Dreyfus drops huge hint amid Roy Keane rumours at Sunderland