Roy Keane tipped for Sunderland return as odds slashed on shock return to management to replace Michael Beale

Sunderland are still searching for a new manager after Michael Beale was let go last month - and Roy Keane is one of the top contenders for the position according to the bookmakers.

Former Rangers boss Beale managed to secure four wins out of 12 games before he was shown the door at the Stadium of Light. Mike Dodds has stepped in as caretaker manager for the rest of the season. Will Still is currently the favourite to become Sunderland's next permanent manager, according to gambling.com, with odds of 6/4. In a recent chat, Still expressed his desire to manage in England and said he'd be open to taking on a Championship role at an ambitious club.

Keane, who hasn't managed a team since 2011, is listed at 2/1 to return as Sunderland boss, says The Manchester Evening News. As a former Sunderland manager, the Republic of Ireland and Manchester United legend often comes up when there's talk of a managerial vacancy at the Stadium of Light.

He was mentioned when Beale was appointed in December, and was the top choice for the Sunderland job after Lee Johnson was sacked in 2022, reports the Irish Mirror. However, talks fell through and Alex Neil was brought in instead. But Sunderland owner Kyril-Louis Dreyfus has dismissed the idea that Keane was ever seriously considered for the role in 2022.

He stated at the time: "The Roy Keane potential with Sunderland played out much more in the media than it really did in conversations that we had in the club." Juan Sartori, who co-owns Sunderland, said that Keane would have been a fun choice and good for the team's Netflix show, but he wasn't right for the job. He remarked: "I think Roy Keane would have been fun, definitely good for the [Sunderland 'Til I Die] Netflix series, but maybe we had a third season of disastrous finishing."

Scott Parker is a favourite to be the next boss at Sunderland with odds of 5/2. He has done well before with Fulham and Bournemouth. Steve Cooper, with odds of 4/1, is also in the running. He helped Nottingham Forest go from nearly dropping down a league to getting into the Premier League in one season.

Dodds' chances have gone down, with his odds changing from 12/1 to 25/1 after two losses while he was in charge. Keane, now 52, has talked about being a manager again but seems happy working on TV. He said: "We were talking about going back into management, I think the longer you are out of it, the more you think well, the last few chats we've had about going back to it, even before Frank [Lampard] came in as a guest I am swaying towards not going back into management."

Keane shared his annoyance with how people don't give enough respect, explaining: "I just think it's not worth the hassle and people constantly disrespect you. Not talking about Pep (Guardiola) and (Jurgen) Klopp's level, but when you go down a certain level and you have any sorts of chats or discussions about going back into work [management] I'm not joking you, people think you are so desperate that you'll sign anything."