
Sunderland boss Roy Keane has admitted the pressures of Coca-Cola Championship management can be even greater than life in the top flight. The 35-year-old Irishman takes his side to Crystal Palace on Friday night sitting 11th in the table and just four points off the play-off places.
However, he is quickly having to come to terms with the demands of his job and the hunger for an immediate return to the Barclays Premiership. Keane said: "The Championship is a tough league. It is a bit of a rat race. Everybody is beating each other.
"We all want to be back in the Premiership, there is no doubt about that. That is the place to be. "You look at the managerial casualties this year, especially in the Championship, and sometimes there is even more pressure on a manager in the Championship than in the Premier League because everyone just wants to get back into that Premiership for whatever reason.
Keane admits he has made mistakes since accepting chairman Niall Quinn's invitation to launch his managerial career at the Stadium of Light back in August. However, a man who gleaned all he could from Brian Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson during his glittering playing career is avidly pursuing his education with his passion for success undimmed.
He explained: "You learn every day, you learn every day about each other. "It is brilliant that there is a togetherness. We are all in it together. "There are going to be ups and downs, there are going to be disagreements, but I like that. I like people to say how they feel and to show their feelings. "I have made a lot of mistakes so far as a manager, but you have got to learn quickly, especially in the Championship, because too many mistakes and you are out of a job."
The Black Cats head for London on the back of a seven-game unbeaten run. And he knows from his Manchester United days in particular that that kind of commitment can help in the fight for a shot at promotion in the second half of the season.
Keane said: "If you have not got that in your dressing room, you have got no chance. "It will probably make all the difference. That was one of the things I wanted to build among the players, among the staff to connect with the supporters. "There is a togetherness there. We know we are far from the finished article, but we have given ourselves a chance.
"We keep going to the end and if we can add one or two players to help us, that will be fantastic and hopefully we can have a good second half of the season."
Keane revealed he has already sat down with Quinn to discuss how they will attempt to bolster the squad during the transfer window. He said: "We have spoken about a few of the players we are hoping to get in, but it is going to be difficult, I have to say."

Actually he is doing quite ok for a new manager... When he took over they were 24th place now 11 already... If they had a better start, they would be in the light green area...
