I don't think Sunderland has overly great players, but they are one of those "sum of all parts" teams. No superstars but a group of talented players. Top six won't happen this year, next year though...I think top six is reachable. This year, if everyone stays healthy they can make a big cup run and finish in the top half of the table.

Matt LC ... I'm not sure about the 5 CL quality players. Richardson was a League Cup player at ManU and has only made 8 appearances for England with two goals... both against a USA team made up of mostly MLS players in Chicago. He's a nice player; but not really a CL type player.<br />Steed is a classy player but always a good player on a bad team. Came up with Lyon and turned down Arsenal and Bayern Munich to play at Fulham... likes to toil in places where expectations are not so high; not a pressure type player.<br />Tainio is a versatile player but no real European experience either. Had some with Auxerre... who were a Champions League punching bag in the late 90's... good player but nothing special ... a good buy though based on the fact he can play anywhere across midfield and at RB.<br />Chimbonda played at LeHavre.... relegated.<br />Bastia.... relegated... Wigan... middle of the pack and Spurs... League Cup... hardly a Champions League resume at 29.<br />Cisse who is a CL player ... but who carries alot of personal baggage and has had two horrific leg breaks already and he's 27. He hasn't been able to hold down a starting XI spot since leaving Auxerre in the the summer of 04.<br />I just don't see fringe players from other places making a team a European contender. To fulfill Quinn and Keano's plan a significant overhaul will have to be done again.

I think the black cats will crack the top six this season the aquisition of Cisse cleary shows that they'r small but steady steps to being a really good premier league team. I'm not one to count my chickens before they hatch but i'm not one to doubt either.

RedDevilz, surly you cannot be so ill informed and niave to think that Mark Hughes has any chance of managing United now? I must admit that until a year or so ago I wanted and thought he would be Uniteds next manager, but the bottom line is he now manages Man City and now has not a snowflakes hope in hell of taking over United. For me, he was the only real outstanding candidate, but not anymore. I dont know now who will be Uniteds next manager, but I know who it wont be and that will be Mark Hughes!! FACT!!!

I would say to stop counting Sunderland's chickens... They may have made a few nice signings but they still have absolutely NO defense whatsoever. Little Ferdinand is not going to change that very much (If it were the Big Ferdinand, that would me a different story). They have a nice midfield and Cisse is a good striker, but they still have to prove they can win against good teams (Sorry, but Spurs are not as great as Fox wants you to think). We'll see anyway

ABQ-well put, and I guess the question is always going to be if he would want to return to OT. I know he left on less than friendly terms and maybe pride, which he has in abundance, will keep him from returning. <br /><br /><br />Devilz-well said, some guys just need a swift kick in the arse while others require a little more tact, it all comes down to the player and Keane has come across all types in his career. Now that he's on the sidelines I don't see the "red mist" descending on him anymore, but I wouldn't want to be the guy that tests him on that.

Having said that, its very possible Keane could learn that skill at sunderland and the fact that no nonsense approach isn't always the only option. A pat-on-the-back could sometimes be just as effective .....

I am keeping my reservations about Keane managing united. I think he will have his chance but before that happens I want to see how Mark Hughes does in that role.<br /><br />I think tactically, mark hughes has an edge over keane. No nonsense approach works fine at sunderland, but when you're dealing with people like CR you ought to have some tact.

By the time SAF hangs it up, Roy Keane could very easily already have Sunderland established as a European Cup winner and may not want to leave the Black Cats.<br /><br />It seems hard to fathom, but realistically Roy could have a UEFA Cup or a CL season under his belt before Fergie calls it a day.<br /><br />I just wonder if Roy is out to establsih his own dynasty at this own club.<br /><br />Congrats to Sunderland on a fantastic start.

shade,<br />i kindly disagree, gordon looked horrible in goal against the totts, he could have prevented the first goal with better play, and there are at least 5 CL quality players on that squad<br /><br />richardson<br />cisse<br />steed<br />taino<br />chimbonda <br /><br />with at least a few other maybes, the younger ferdinand is on the way in and maybe zigic, they have some quality and showed it by beating at team on the road that some had picked to finish in the top six, plus they still have jones coming back off injury<br /><br />richardson's goal was pure class, and steed was the player of the match for me

I think Keano is doing a wonderful job with Sunderland. To say the natural progression is ... year one to get promoted...year two is to stay up.... year three is to establish yourself as a premier league team.... those should not be a problem. Challenging for Europe shouldn't be that difficult either.... but consistantly being in Europe is the problem.<br /><br />Over the course of the last 8 seasons: Ipswich Town, Fulham, Bolton, Blackburn, Everton, Villa, Boro, Spurs, Millwall, West Ham, Newcastle and Leeds have all played in the Uefa Cup. Leeds made it to the semis of the Champions League... Newcastle was in the 2nd group stage of the Champions League and Everton made the 3rd Qualifying round. Boro played the Uefa Cup final; but to be a consistant player in Europe is another story.<br />Sunderland has good players; but to challenge for 5th you have to be borderline great in the best league in the world.<br /><br />The squad they have now... only Gordon in goal is a bonafide Champions League calibre player. To overhaul the squad three times in five years for the clubs ambitions is going tobe very hard... and Roy will probably take a better job before the project is ever finished. People have earmarked Keano as the replacement for SAF when his time at Old Trafford is done. A more realistic assumption is when Gordon Strachan loses the SPL to Rangers (who are not in Europe and can concentrate solely on the league title) Keano will take over at Parkhead. Celtic is the club that he has always supported. The same club that he went to when he left ManU and the same club he signed for inspite of a last minute contract offer from Real Madrid.

Jovelinho-they are spammers, nothing more.

Hey after Fergie retires call back Quieroz and have keane as his assistant and then go from there. On another note can anyone tell me about these people posting about dating websites. What are they about?

As Keano always said, Fail to Prepare then Prepare to Fail. Sunderland are showing you will never get an easy game from them. He has this team looking fit and hungry, and as an earlier poster said he knows how to get into a player's psyche, having dealt with so many different personalities in his playing career he knows how to push the right buttons, or wrong if you're an opponent. Kieran Richardson looks like he has taken a new lease on life, 20 lbs lighter and he's looked twice the player he was last year, great goal Saturday and he had a couple of crackers in pre-season too. Anton Ferdinand is a surprise, that he would go from London to Sunderland, it goes to show what a name like Roy Keane can do for a club. Other than when they play United, I'll be pulling for Sunderland this year.<br /><br />I've been calling for Keano to replace Fergie(after his retirement of course) since the end of last year, he's definitely making his mark and if he keeps up the good work I don't see how he couldn't be at least considered.

Hey justinkick, I agree with you. The natural order of football would be: 1. avoid relegation. 2. Try for a top table finish. 3. Try for a UEFA cup berth. 4. Try for a CL berth. 5. Try for the Premier cup. Somewhere between # 3 & 5 they should be able to challenge for the league and the FA cup. He is very shrewd, he knows football and he knows a player's psyche, if a decent amount of money is put at his disposition he should be able to get far. I give him 5 years to have a team to be reckoned with, but, will the powers that be give him that long. Go Keano, you have done wonders already.<br />Glory, Glory, Man United!!!

I agree with Dragon. I think Keane would be a great fir to replace Ferguson.

Hats off to Roy. Although I think he'll get the ManU job when SAF steps down.

Well done Roy...<br /><br />I just love when Robbie Keane's former side goes down.<br /><br />Brilliant Cisse!!!!!!!!<br /><br />Hahaahaha....<br /><br />Not to mention the bulletless gunners....<br /><br />Hahahaha...

see the problem with the premise of this article is the author's assumption that has beens and almost weres like cisse and diouf can do anything with keane. it remains to be seen what keane can get out of tempermental personalities. when he was at man united, keane's fiery, controversial opinions were geeared towards winning, much like his manager. but now that he's with a club like sunderland, who honestly (like most clubs these days) havent a real shot at silverware in any given season, how will he restrain the tempers and tantrums of his stars? how will he motivate them?<br /><br />while perhaps getting to the 5th or 6th round of the FA cup is possible, i think it is far more likely that keane gets his stars to work for his dream and they squeak out a top half finish.

I think Roy Keane will be a good candidate to become the next manager of ManUtd after SAF retired. LOved his no nonsense approach in dealing with the team.