Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn is keen for Roy Keane to establish the club as Premiership class next season.
"For me a great year next year would be to have our fans not worrying about relegation all year," he said. "I'd buy that now. Last year I'd have bought 17th place. We finished 15th. Next year if we can finish five or six places higher and the crowd enjoy it more, and the anxiety isn't there, that would be another step in the right direction."