Former Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn believes the club requires a 'radical' change to re-establish themselves in the Premier League.

The Black Cats parted ways with Dick Advocaat on the weekend after failing to secure a win in their opening eight league fixtures and are now on the hunt for a new man to lead them out of the mire.

Former star striker Quinn, who oversaw the Wearside club before Ellis Short took over in 2011, is of the belief that the need for a revolutionary change in manager is vital for the future at the Stadium of Light.

"I get a bit down when I think about it," he told Sky Sports.

"It needs somebody different to come in and do something radical. If it's Bob Bradley from America, who's never been in the Premier League before, he might do things total differently and get Sunderland going.

"Big Sam (Allardyce) might be radical enough and change the way things are going there. I think 'same old, same old' isn't going to work at Sunderland. You need a manager to come in and revolutionise everything there.

"We did it with Roy Keane initially when I was there. He changed everything; the mentality. He got us out of a slumber but unfortunately it didn't last.

"A number of the guys since have lifted it a little bit at the start - like Paolo Di Canio, Martin O'Neill and Gus Poyet - but you obviously hope someone can come in and sustain that."