Roy Keane will not be celebrating as he heads off to reflect upon his first season as Sunderland manager. The 36-year-old famously decided not to parade the Coca-Cola Championship trophy around the city on an open-top bus last summer after completing the first part of his mission, insisting he and his players had achieved nothing of any great significance.

Now a man who can boast six Premier League winners' medals among his haul of honours as a player is not about to set the champagne corks popping for mere survival. Asked if he regards his team's successful fight against relegation as success, he replied: "Success? No, no, that would be nonsense. Staying in the Premier League - we are 15th at the moment and if we were to stay 15th, it shouldn't really be seen as being successful.

"Satisfied may be a better way of putting it, but not success. Hopefully success is just around the corner."

Keane outlined his targets for next season and fighting relegation is not one of them. "I think this summer is a very important summer for the football club," he said. "We certainly need to go out and strengthen and bring in the right quality players to the club because we know we are not far away, believe it or not, from challenging the teams just above us.

"That's what we want to try to achieve next season because if we don't bring in the right players, we will be in a relegation battle next year, and I don't fancy being a manager every year fighting relegation.

"I am learning my trade, I appreciate that, and you are going to fight battles, like we did last year and this year. But I want more."

Keane has been linked with a series of targets, including West Ham's Carlton Cole and Barcelona's Eidur Gudjohnsen and he is well aware the club could have to increase their wage bill significantly if they are to get the players he wants to head for the North East. "I know we are a fair bit behind teams not far away from here in terms of what they have paid their players over the years. Don't get me wrong, don't think for one minute our players are sleeping on the streets at night, they are not. They are very, very well-paid.

"But if you want to bring certain players in, you have to pay the money, I can't dress it up any better than that. We are not talking about paying ten players £60,000, £70,000, £80,000 a week, but if we can get one or two in we think can lift the level and lift the club and lift us to the next level, I have to say I think it is money well spent."