FORMER Sunderland boss Roy Keane and ex-Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate are two of the early names being considered for the vacant manger’s job at the Stadium of Light.

Black Cats owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman have made significant process in their search for a manager today, with Woodgate and Keane two of the names under consideration to replace Lee Johnson.

Woodgate’s experience at Bournemouth would stand him in good stead if he was to appointed on Wearside, and the Teesside is known to be keen to return to management at the Stadium of Light.

The former Boro boss was promoted to take charge of Bournemouth at a similar stage of the season to the current situation at Sunderland, and successfully achieved his remit of guiding Cherries into the play-offs.

The feeling is that his experience of taking over a club with promotion ambitions at a crucial stage of the season will help him if he was charged with the task of getting Sunderland promoted from League One with 17 games to go this season. 

The former Tottenham Hotspur defender is close friends with Sunderland’s newest recruit, Jermain Defoe, with the pair having played together for both Tottenham and England, and would be happy to take on Defoe in a coaching capacity as part of his job if the 39-year-old wanted such a role.

Former Black Cats boss Keane is regarded as a strong candidate capable of sparking an immediate reaction from within the squad, and is set to be formally interviewed for the manager’s  role 13 years after he left the same position at the club.

He has a proven track record of gaining promotion with Sunderland, having taken them from the Championship to the Premier League in his first managerial post.

Meanwhile, another former Boro boss, Neil Warnock, remains one of the frontrunners for the position after declaring his interest in the job yesterday.

Bookmakers have shortened their odds considerably on Warnock becoming the next manager at the Stadium of Light, with the veteran ‘promotion specialist’ willing to take charge on a short-term basis and move aside in the summer.

Mick McCarthy, who was in charge at Sunderland for three years, has also thrown his hat into the ring.

Although progress has been made in their search for a manager, it’s unlikely that an appointment will be made before this weekend with Sunderland naming their interim structure for this weekend’s game against Doncaster Rovers.

Mike Dodds will front first-team duties with support from Mike Procter, first team coach Phil Jevons and goalkeeping coach David Preece.

Head of Football Kristjaan Speakman said: “The recruitment process to appoint a new Head Coach is underway and we will provide a further update in due course.

"In the interim, we have highly-skilled staff in place to oversee the first-team programme and I know they will be fully supported by the players and those throughout the wider football club.”