Reid rules out Sunderland return

Reid has rejected claims he would return to Sunderland

Former Sunderland boss Peter Reid insists he is not interested in a return to the Stadium of Light.

Reid was in charge of the Black Cats between 1995 and 2002 and is currently coach of the Thailand national team.

He had been quoted as saying he would consider a comeback as successor to Roy Keane, who resigned on Thursday.

But he said: "I didn't say I wanted to go back to Sunderland. I haven't been offered the job at Sunderland and I will not take it if I am offered it."

The 52-year-old former Everton and England midfield man moved to clarify his position after watching Thailand beat Laos 6-0 at the Suzuki Cup in Phuket.

Reid added: "I haven't asked for the job at Sunderland. I have been there once and loved it, it's a great place but I am enjoying working here."

606: DEBATE For a man placed in temporary charge of a big club like Sunderland and with players that have no confidence at the moment, Sbragia did a fantastic job Richardson's_rasper

Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn and his fellow board members are understood to be assessing more than 30 serious candidates before meeting in the next 48 hours to reduce the field to a handful of contenders.

As a result, there is no guarantee an appointment will be made before Saturday's crucial home clash with bottom side West Brom - and that could mean an extended stay at the helm for coach Ricky Sbragia and assistants Neil Bailey and Dwight Yorke.

Keane's departure has prompted a deluge of applications from around the globe, with former Black Cats defender and coach Sam Allardyce remaining the bookmakers' favourite.

Keane himself hopes to return to management in the future, though he has not said when.

In a statement released via the League Managers Association, he said: "I have experienced and learnt a tremendous amount in the last 27 months and enjoyed the rigours of being a manager.

"I look forward to building on those experiences and, sometime in the future, returning to football management."