Former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane is expected to be confirmed as Niall Quinn's successor as Sunderland manager ahead of Monday's Championship clash with West Browmwich Albion at the Stadium of Light.
Quinn, who is chairman of the Black Cats following his consortium's summer takeover, is determined that the Wearsiders appoint "a winner".
And, while he stopped short of naming former Ireland team-mate Keane as the manager-in-waiting, it is understood that the 35-year-old former midfielder is the "high-profile figure" in mind.
Talks are understood to have taken place between Sunderland and Keane, with a view to a swift appointment.
Quinn, who has lost all of his five games in charge to date, is eager to relinquish the coaching responsibilities he reluctantly took on after failing to lure a top-class manager during the summer.
Keane does not have any managerial experience to date, but Quinn said after the Championship's basement club bowed out of the Carling Cup at the hands of League Two Bury: "You have to bring that winning mentality into the dressing room."
He continued: "If you look at the games Sunderland have lost in the last few years, it's horrendous, it makes awful reading. Psychologically there is no way the players couldn't be scarred.
"We have to bring somebody in who can lift all that and bring a winning mentality into that dressing room and then to let it flow into the stadium itself.
"The fans have to see evidence of a winning mentality returning. When the fans start to believe, the whole thing lifts.
"The Sunderland fans have been great to me, they've been very fair, very loyal but they want a manager and I know that."
In the wake of reports that Keane was set to be given the chance to cut his managerial teeth at Sunderland, the Black Cats said: "The club is in discussions with a high-profile figure and is hopeful an announcement will be made in the near future."
Source:www.itv.com
Quinn, who is chairman of the Black Cats following his consortium's summer takeover, is determined that the Wearsiders appoint "a winner".
And, while he stopped short of naming former Ireland team-mate Keane as the manager-in-waiting, it is understood that the 35-year-old former midfielder is the "high-profile figure" in mind.
Talks are understood to have taken place between Sunderland and Keane, with a view to a swift appointment.
Quinn, who has lost all of his five games in charge to date, is eager to relinquish the coaching responsibilities he reluctantly took on after failing to lure a top-class manager during the summer.
Keane does not have any managerial experience to date, but Quinn said after the Championship's basement club bowed out of the Carling Cup at the hands of League Two Bury: "You have to bring that winning mentality into the dressing room."
He continued: "If you look at the games Sunderland have lost in the last few years, it's horrendous, it makes awful reading. Psychologically there is no way the players couldn't be scarred.
"We have to bring somebody in who can lift all that and bring a winning mentality into that dressing room and then to let it flow into the stadium itself.
"The fans have to see evidence of a winning mentality returning. When the fans start to believe, the whole thing lifts.
"The Sunderland fans have been great to me, they've been very fair, very loyal but they want a manager and I know that."
In the wake of reports that Keane was set to be given the chance to cut his managerial teeth at Sunderland, the Black Cats said: "The club is in discussions with a high-profile figure and is hopeful an announcement will be made in the near future."
Source:www.itv.com
