Sunderland update emerges involving Grant McCann and Roy Keane

Former Hull City boss Grant McCann is believed to be one of a number of new manager candidates that interviewed for the Sunderland job yesterday but Roy Keane remains the preferred choice, according to Chronicle Live’s James Hunter.

Lee Johnson was sacked after the 6-0 defeat to Bolton last weekend but the search for his replacement only began on Tuesday after the January transfer window had shut.

Hunter has reported that the North East club are believed to have conducted multiple interviews yesterday, with McCann among the candidates involved.

However, it is understood that Keane remains the preferred choice to take charge at the Stadium of Light.

Previous reports have suggested that Duncan Ferguson, Paul Cook, Neil Lennon, and Neil Warnock are all in the running.

Keane’s appointment would mean a return to the club after more than a decade as his first spell at the helm came between 2006 and 2008.

McCann, meanwhile, was sacked by Hull earlier this season with the new ownership looking to bring in a different coach despite the 41-year-old taking the Tigers up last term.

The Verdict

It seems as though Sunderland are interviewing multiple candidates for the role rather than just honing in on their main target, which is certainly the right approach to take.

Keane appears to remain the frontrunner despite not having held a role in management since 2011 and in a field that involves other coaches with more recent experience.

Opting for the Irishman will be a big call given there is little time for a teething period, with Sunderland having just 17 games left to play in League One this season.

They’re third as things stand but it’s such a tight race in the third tier this term that a slow start could leave them with a lot of