Martin O'Neill backs Roy Keane as a 'great fit' for the Sunderland head coach vacancy

Roy Keane would be a 'great fit' for Sunderland according to Martin O'Neill, with the Manchester United legend still the favourite to fill vacant head coach's role on Wearside.

The Black Cats are searching for a new head coach after sacking Lee Johnson a week ago, and Keane held talks with the club with a view to returning to the Stadium of Light for a second spell in charge 13 years after his first stint came to an end.

A former Sunderland manager himself, O'Neill knows Keane well after spending five years working with him with the Republic of Ireland national team and a further five months working together at Nottingham Forest, in both cases with O'Neill as manager and Keane his assistant.

And he believes the Sunderland players would respond to Keane and would want to perform for him.

"It's a great fit because Roy had success there before," said O'Neill, who spent 15 months in charge of Sunderland after being appointed in December 2011.

"It's splendid news.

"From my experiences working with Roy, I would really want to play for him and I would readily accept any tough times and hard words for what the praise would mean if I did something terrific to please him."

Keane started his managerial career at Sunderland, taking up the role in August 2006 with the club next-to-bottom of the Championship and leading the club to promotion as champions that season.

He kept Sunderland in the Premier League in his first full season in charge, but left in December 2008 following tensions behind the scenes between himself and then-owner Ellis Short.

Keane is the overwhelming fans' choice to take on the current vacancy with supporters singing his name at times during yesterday's 2-1 defeat against Doncaster Rovers at the Stadium of