The 36-year-old famously decided not to parade the 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.

The current season will draw to a close with Arsenal's visit to a sold-out Stadium of Light on Sunday, but a manager who was furious with his side's display in the 2-0 defeat at Bolton last weekend is already plotting the way forward.

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."

That corner cannot not be turned quickly enough for Keane, who stepped on to a steep learning curve when he accepted chairman Niall Quinn's offer to launch his management career on Wearside.

While he knows his quest to establish Sunderland in the top flight could be a lengthy process, he freely admits he is impatient.

He said: "Yes, I am. We do have to be patient, but our supporters would probably say, 'we have been patient for 20, 25 years'. They have been fairly patient.

"I think this summer is a very important summer for the football club.

"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 already started the process of whittling down his current squad before rebuilding over the summer.

Andy Cole, Stanislav Varga, Ian Harte and Stephen Wright, who have played little or no part this season, have been told their contracts will not be renewed, while there are certain to be more exits over the next few weeks.

Asked if several more players could leave, the manager said: "Without a shadow of a doubt, yes."

Keane has already been linked with a series of targets, including West Ham's Carlton Cole and Barcelona's Eidur Gudjohnsen, although his first priority will be to discover how keen Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is to hang on to loan signing Jonny Evans.

Whatever happens on that front, 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.

Keane said: "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 10 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."