ROY KEANE thinks that Ellis Short’s next managerial appointment at the Stadium of Light can turn Sunderland around – provided certain things change behind-the-scenes at the Premier League strugglers.

Club sources claim Short has been inundated with applications for the job, although they are no nearer to landing a new boss following Dick Advocaat’s decision to step down after Saturday’s 2-2 draw with West Ham United.

Despite the large interest in the post, it is understood the leading contenders all have serious reservations about taking it on, in the knowledge that Sunderland will have had five different managers in the last two-and-a-half years.

Advocaat also cited a lack of investment in the squad compared to Premier League rivals before he stepped down and the Black Cats’ bleak position in the relegation zone, with five points separating them from safety, is another stick to beat them with.

Sam Allardyce, the former West Ham and Newcastle boss, remains the frontrunner but needs to be convinced about the role, while ex-Everton boss David Moyes and Burnley manager Sean Dyche have joined Harry Redknapp, who called the club “horrendous”, in ruling themselves out of the running.

Nigel Pearson is also under consideration, although Sunderland are playing down claims he has already been sounded out. American Bob Bradley, who has led Stabaek to second in the Norwegian league this season, is thought to have been a name put to Sunderland too.

The aim is to have a new man in charge before the trip to West Brom on October 17, although the official word from Sunderland is that they are in no rush.

And Keane, who left the club in December 2008 after falling out with Short, appeared to suggest there are individuals in the boardroom at the Stadium of Light who need to leave for the club to be successful.

When he was asked if somebody could succeed under the current regime, Keane said: “Yeah, yeah. Ah yeah, you’d think so, yeah. There’s always hope, potential.

“Sunderland is a brilliant football club and there are some of the best supporters in the world up there, but there’s other stuff going on in the background that probably needs to be sorted out.”

Sunderland have had five managers in as many years and Keane said: “No doubt that will continue as long as there’s certain people in the background there. That’s not going to change. They should have just left me alone and I’d still be there.”

Keane’s fall-out with Short centred on him commuting from his Cheshire home to Sunderland during his tenure and in his autobiography the Irishman claimed Short had spoken to him “like something on the bottom of his shoe.”

But during his 27-months in charge at the Stadium of Light he enjoyed a great relationship with the supporters after guiding them from the bottom of the Championship to promotion in 2006-07.

Ireland's No 2 said: “It’s Sunderland, isn’t it? It’s a brilliant, brilliant club, but I don’t know. I can’t really comment on why different managers have left, but the people in the background probably need to have a good look at themselves.”

While Sunderland continue to assess the merits of the candidature pushing for the role, one of Keane’s signings during his time at the club appeared to put his name in the frame as he looks to take a leap into frontline management at the top level.

Dwight Yorke, the former forward, said: “Sunderland is a wonderful club to be a manager at and, if they can get things right there, the support is immense.

“I’m a bit stunned (why more managers don’t want the job). The reality is it is a fantastic job and I can’t see why managers wouldn’t want to take it.

“There are enough good players in the dressing room to get them out of that situation. It is a relatively early stage of the season and things can turn around very quickly.”

Sunderland’s Under-21s play Borussia Monchengladbach at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The young Black Cats face the Germans in the second game of the Premier League International Cup at 7pm. General admission for the game is priced at £3 for adults and £1 for over-65s and under-16s.