The owner reveals the truth about Roy Keane, who is one of the top contenders to become the next manager of Sunderland…

Roy Keane, the Irishman and former Manchester United player, is one of the top contenders to become the next manager of Sunderland, as confirmed by the club owner. Following the sacking of Michael Beale last month, who only managed to win four out of twelve games, the search for a new manager is still ongoing. Mike Dodds has taken over as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

Will Still is the favorite at odds of 6/4 to become the next permanent manager of the Black Cats, according to gambling.com. In a recent interview, Still expressed his desire to manage in England and stated that he would be willing to take on a job in the Championship for an ambitious club.

Despite not having managed since 2011, Keane is listed at odds of 2/1 to make a return as the boss of Sunderland, as reported by The Manchester Evening News. As a former Sunderland manager, Keane is often linked with a potential comeback to the Stadium of Light.

He was mentioned during Beale’s appointment in December and was the frontrunner for the Sunderland job after Lee Johnson’s dismissal in 2022. However, a deal fell through, and Alex Neil was ultimately appointed.

Sunderland owner Kyril-Louis Dreyfus, on the other hand, dismisses the notion of a potential Keane return in 2022 as nonsense. “The media played up the Roy Keane potential with Sunderland much more than the actual conversations we had at the club,” he stated.

Juan Sartori, co-owner of Sunderland, expressed that although having Roy Keane on board would have brought more attention to the team’s home ground, he was not the right fit for the position. Sartori mentioned, “I believe Roy Keane would have been entertaining, certainly beneficial for the [Sunderland ‘Til I Die] Netflix series, but perhaps we were headed for a third season of disappointing finishes.”

Scott Parker is currently priced at 5/2 to become the next manager at the Stadium of Light. With his successful track record at Fulham and Bournemouth, Parker could be viewed as one of the more logical choices for Sunderland’s leadership.

On the other hand, Steve Cooper (4/1) is a manager with a promotion on his resume, and his achievement was quite remarkable. Nottingham Forest was facing relegation to League One when he took over. By the end of the same season, they were celebrating a spot in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Dodds’ odds have now shifted from 12/1 to 25/1. His interim tenure in charge has resulted in two consecutive losses.

Keane has previously discussed the possibility of returning to management, but currently appears satisfied with his role as a TV pundit. The 52-year-old former player stated, “We were considering a return to management, but the longer you’re away from it, the more you start to question whether it’s the right move. Even before Frank Lampard appeared as a guest, our recent discussions about returning to management have me leaning towards staying out of it.”

Keane also expressed his frustration with the lack of respect and underestimation he faces, saying, “I believe it’s not worth the trouble when people consistently disrespect you. I’m not referring to the level of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, but when you consider opportunities at a lower level and engage in discussions about returning to management, I’m telling you, some individuals assume you’re so desperate that you’d accept anything.”