Sunderland owners explain failed Man United legend approach on new episodes of ‘Sunderland Til’ I Die’

Within the new episodes of the Netflix show Sunderland Til’ I Die, it has been explained why Manchester United legend Roy Keane did not return to the club.

Keane managed Sunderland between 2006 and 2008, where he helped guide the club to promotion to the Premier League before his departure the following season when they were sat in the relegation zone.

And whilst the former United captain has not held a managerial role since leaving Ipswich in 2011, the Championship club were looking at having him rejoin back in 2022 following Lee Johnson’s departure.

In December 2022, MailSport reported that Keane turned down the chance for a second spell at the football club, with contractual issues being the reason why.

Further clarification has since been revealed in the latest ‘Sunderland Til’ I Die’ documentary, with club owners Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori explaining why the 52-year-old never returned, despite admitting it would have been ‘fun’ and ‘good for the Netflix series.

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“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,” Louis-Dreyfus said during the documentary. 

“The second we did make the change, I knew there was going to be criticism in the moment, but the only thing I try to do is to make the decisions that I feel are the right ones for the football club.”

Co-owner Juan Sartori added: “I think Roy Keane would have been fun, definitely good for the Netflix series, but maybe we had a third season of disastrous finishing.”

Instead, the club signed Alex Neil as their new manager, with the Scotsman leading Sunderland to promotion to the Championship in 2022.