Sunderland delegation interviews Roy Keane in Manchester

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ROY KEANE was interviewed for the Sunderland manager’s job today, with the club hoping to have completed their search for Lee Johnson’s successor by the end of the weekend.

The Black Cats return to action at the Stadium of Light tamrrow afternoon, with Jermain Defoe set to make the first appearance of his second spell at the club against Doncaster Rovers.

A management team led by coach Mike Dodds will take charge of the game, but Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is hoping a new boss will be in place by the time the Wearsiders head to Cheltenham Town on Tuesday.

The club’s interviewing process is now complete, with Keane’s candidature being championed by a number of senior figures within the Black Cats boardroom.

A Sunderland delegation led by Louis-Dreyfus is understood to have met Keane in Manchester today, with the former Black Cats boss then heading to Old Trafford where he is due to be an ITV pundit for tonight’s FA Cup tie between Manchester United and Middlesbrough.

Keane expressed an initial interest in the Sunderland job at the start of the week, and today’s discussions gave Louis-Dreyfus and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman an opportunity assessing whether the 50-year-old is serious about his desire to return to management after a break of some 11 years.

The Irishman enjoyed considerable success during his first spell on Wearside, leading Sunderland to the Championship title and successfully re-establishing the club in the Premier League, but he left somewhat acrimoniously after a breakdown in his relationship with Niall Quinn and Ellis Short.

Since then, he has combined punditry duties with coaching spells at Ireland, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, and his return would be extremely popular amongst a majority of Sunderland supporters, who have been clamouring for his return all week.

He is not the only candidate under consideration, with former Hull City boss Grant McCann having conducted a formal interview yesterday.

Alex Neil is in the running, while ex-Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi is believed to be a surprise candidate with a degree of support from elements of the Sunderland hierarchy.

Lamouchi, whose 16-month spell in charge of Nottingham Forest came to an end in 2020, is available after leaving Qatari side Al-Duhail last year.

Dodds has confirmed Defoe will be in the squad for tomorrow’s game, along with fellow deadline-day signing Jay Matete.

“Both will be in the squad this weekend,” said the interim boss. “Jay oozes quality and class and he will give us a different dimension in midfield, so he is a fantastic addition to the football club.

“It’s a big move for Jay and I have felt a little sorry for him because his arrival has been somewhat overshadowed by Jermain’s return, but I think he’s signing a very clever.

“We don’t really need to talk about Jermain’s quality, but the thing that has struck me, which shouldn’t surprise you but often does, is his human qualities.”

Meanwhile, Lee Johnson issued a lengthy statement via the League Managers’ Association today in which he reflected on his achievements during his time at the Stadium of Light and expressed confidence that the club would make it back to the Championship this season.

“I leave the football club knowing we were on the right path, which gives me incredible satisfaction,” Johnson said. “I tried to lead the team with honesty and integrity from the moment I stepped through the door. I am extremely proud of the hard work put in by a talented set of players and staff. Working together tirelessly on the training ground with such quality has been an honor.

“Collectively, we have achieved a lot in a short space of time, often in difficult circumstances. In the calendar year of 2021, we achieved the highest points-per-game average in the entire EFL, won the Papa John’s Trophy at Wembley, were amongst the highest goalscoring teams in the EFL, and took the club to a quarter-final of the Carabao Cup. During which I hope the Sunderland fans have found that love of a matchday once more, reconnecting with their football club with a collective pride of the hard work being done to play a brand of football to entertain as well as succeed.

“It is a shame I couldn’t see the potential promotion through for you all, which was something I wanted to deliver for those that deserved it most. I was confident the work we did in January added the final pieces of the puzzle we needed to get there. I believe that this squad is ready now and I for one will be happy to watch them take you there.”

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