Sunderland boss Roy Keane insists his side will not be scared of the challenges they will face in the Premiership and has already started work ahead of the new season.

The 35-year-old defied all the odds to drag the Black Cats back into the top flight in his first season in management, and is now looking forward to pitching them into battle with the big guns, including his former club Manchester United.

Keane and his backroom staff have been planning for next season ever since they secured their return to the top flight with a game to spare, and have already been linked with a long list of potential targets as they prepare to invest a transfer fund estimated at around £25million (€37m approx).

The former Republic of Ireland skipper is in little doubt as to the work which lies ahead for his Coca-Cola Championship title winners, but he is relishing the prospect.

He told the club's official website, www.safc.com: "Over the last two weeks, it has been nice to reflect on a great achievement by everyone at the club - the players, the staff, the fans - but I really believe that the hard works starts now.

"It's great that we have been promoted and now it's important that we make our mark in the Premier League.

"I enjoyed the Championship - it was my first season as a manager and it went well - but of course we all want to be in the Premier League and we are looking forward to it," added Keane who had his backroom team back working at Sunderland's training ground yesterday.

"But we are not getting carried away - we want to go there with the purpose of getting something out of each game.

"We won't go there in awe of the teams and the stadiums, we want to hold our own. Hopefully we will do that, that's what we are working towards."