HAVING been inundated by job applications since Roy Keane’s departure, Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn will spend the weekend assembling a shortlist of potential replacements.

More than a dozen bigname candidates including former Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce and ex-Chelsea boss Avram Grant have confirmed their interest in taking over at the Stadium of Light.

But with likes of Gordon Strachan and Alan Curbishley also commanding attention, Quinn will spend the next 48 hours consulting with the rest of the Black Cats board in an attempt to finalise a shortlist by Monday evening.

That will enable him to make formal approaches and conduct interviews next week, in the hope of appointing Keane’s replacement ahead of next weekend’s home game with West Brom.

Two years after Keane watched Sunderland take on the Baggies as a managerin- waiting, his s u c c e s s o r could find themselves in an identical position in seven days time.

“ P e o p l e should not forget how far this club has come under Roy’s l e a d e r s h i p and the journey continues”

said Quinn, who denied that Keane had resigned by text message.

“To that end, we are very encouraged that we have already been contacted by enough people from around the globe to know that Sunderland is a major attraction. We have an open mind about the next manager and we will be professional in the selection process and will take as long as as is necessary to get the right man for the job.”

Prior to Keane’s appointment, Quinn struggled to convince a number of managers to commit to the Stadium of Light. This time around, whittling the candidates down could be the Irishman’s most difficult task.

Allardyce was one of the managers who was reluctant to move to Wearside in 2006, but the former Newcastle boss was showing no such reticence yesterday.

“Sunderland are a great club, so of course I’d be interested in talking to them,”

said the former Black Cats defender. “I have huge respect for the chairman Niall Quinn and the job he has done.

“I enjoyed the year I had at Sunderland, and also when I did some coaching work there under Peter Reid. I also know how passionate the fans are about their team.”

Grant has not been as effusive in public but, in private, the former Chelsea boss is understood to have informed the Sunderland hierarchy that he is interested in the post, as have both Lothar Matthaus and Felix Magath, the latter currently in charge of Wolfsburg.

Grant, who was the most heavily-backed candidate yesterday, has been out of work since parting company with Chelsea in May. He is currently living in his native Israel, but would be extremely keen to return to the Premier League.

He boasts influential contacts in the footballing world – super-agent Pini Zahavi is a close personal friend – and while he was seen as something of a stop-gap when he replaced Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge, his brief spell in English football was a relative success.

Quinn will discuss Grant’s candidature this weekend – either side of watching Sunderland in action at Manchester United – and will also weigh up the pros and cons behind a move for Strachan.

The Celtic boss pointedly refused to make any comment when asked about the Sunderland job during yesterday’s press conference ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Hibernian, and walked out when his questioners refused to change the subject.

But sources in Scotland suggest he would be interested to hear what the Black Cats were willing to offer.

Strachan’s one-year rolling contract means Sunderland would have to make a compensation payment if they were to secure his services, but despite the Scotsman’s successes in recent seasons, it is understood Celtic would not stand in his way if he wanted to leave Parkhead.

The same is not true of Hull’s position regarding Phil Brown, and after the South Shields-born manager distanced himself from Wearside on Thursday, Hull chairman Paul Duffen yesterday warned Sunderland not to consider an approach.

“The guy’s under contract and not available, end of conversation,”

said Duffen. “Phil has a big opportunity now that is more than just being a commodity to be bought or sold or bid for.”

Quinn intends to speak to a number of candidates before making a final decision, and is aware of the importance of appointing someone who can both provide the squad with a short-term lift, and produce a long-term plan for improvement.

That would appear to rule out a candidate with no previous experience of life in British football, as with the Black Cats currently in the relegation zone, Quinn can ill afford to appoint someone who would need a month or two to adapt to the English game.

Keane’s departure dominated press conferences up and down the land yesterday, with Sir Alex Ferguson heading a list of managers who were shocked by the speed of Thursday’s events.

“I am surprised,” said the Manchester United boss.

“Trying to cut through rumour and fact in football today is difficult.

“You are never quite sure what has happened, and the rumour mill is operating at 100 miles an hour. But Roy was a great player here and it is a pity. We wish him well.”

Ferguson has no idea when, or indeed if, Keane will return to the managerial ranks.

“It is difficult to say whether he will be back,” he added. “He is an incredibly controversial character.

Every week he always had something to say about the game. He was the same as a player. He is such an interesting character and did a decent job up there.”

Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear thought Keane’s bond with Quinn meant both men would be at the Stadium of Light for years to come.

‘‘I would have never thought that would happen,’’ said Kinnear.

‘‘I have to say it was a shock because I would have thought the relationship he has with Niall Quinn (meant) he would be there for at least another couple of seasons.

‘‘But obviously something has got to Roy.”

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is convinced Keane will return to the game wiser and stronger.

Hughes believes his former United team-mate has much to offer on the coaching side.

He said: ‘‘Roy is a young man and still has a great future in the game. Maybe he just needs that breathing space to refresh himself, take a step back and learn from the experience.

‘‘He will have had his reasons for leaving Sunderland.

He is a very forthright and straight guy.”

Another ex-United teammate, Paul Ince, who now as manager at Blackburn is facing similar pressures, expressed his sympathy.

Ince said: ‘‘There are certain people out there who want to put you down and it’s more so the young managers and that’s the annoying thing, they don’t want to give people a chance.

‘‘Sometimes they can drive you out of a job and that’s probably what they’ve done with Keano.’’ Latest odds: Allardyce 6/4; Curbishley, Strachan 7/1; Grant 10/1; O’Leary 16/1; Brown 20/1; Sbragia 25/1.