Sunderland have been told to forget about Roy Keane and instead appoint former Hull City boss Grant McCann as their new manager.
That’s the view of Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony, who has been speaking about Sunderland’s managerial search.
The Black Cats chose to sack Lee Johnson at the back end of January and have yet to find a replacement for him.
The favourite for the job has been Roy Keane in what would be a stunning and emotional return to Wearside.
Keane took charge of Sunderland back in 2006, immediately guiding Sunderland to promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.
The Irishman was a popular man at the Stadium of Light and remains so even after leaving the club in December 2008.
Keane hasn’t even been in management since January 2011, spending more than 10 years out of management.
Keane has held coaching roles with Ireland, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, but is better known as a pundit these days.
Bringing Keane back could be a gamble, even if fans support it, and Sunderland are considering other candidates like McCann.
Sunderland have interviewed McCann according to the Daily Mail, and he appears to be a prime contender if Keane doesn’t land the job.
McCann was recently sacked by Hull City as new owner Acun Ilicali preferred to bring in Shota Arveladze.
McCann guided Hull to promotion from League One last season and has prior experience in the division with Peterborough United and Doncaster Rovers.
The Northern Irishman seems to be a strong candidate based on his history, and McCann is now being backed as a better candidate than Keane.
MacAnthony spoke has spoken on his podcast The Hard Truth, stating that he thinks Sunderland should forget about Keane and go for McCann instead.
MacAnthony hired and fired McCann at Peterborough, but believes McCann is the man if you want promotion out of League One.
The Irishman feels McCann is better than a big-name manager thanks to his track record, believing that Championship clubs will queue up for McCann if Sunderland don’t strike now.
“I’m gutted for him he did a great job in trying circumstance. Won a league title. He was doing a great job keeping them in the league this year. Again, not the biggest budget. He’s really become a great manager. I’m happy for him and proud of him,” said MacAnthony.
“I think Sunderland’s best bit of business they could do would be give him the job. I think he’d get Sunderland out of League One. I’m just astonished that someone with multiple promotions – as a player and manager, -Grant McCann, with the philosophy of the new owner, like mine with young players, what he’s done with younger players at Hull, forget Roy Keane.
“Forget about a big name manager, I think Grant McCann and his staff would do an incredible job there. He won’t be out of work long and would’ve got a good pay off at Hull. He’s really proven himself to be an astute, good young manager. If he doesn’t get the Sunderland job there’ll be seven or eight big jobs in the Championship in the summer,” he added.
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