Dick Advocaat: Sunderland boss quits Premier League strugglers

Short has shown increased readiness to part company with managers in a desperate bid to keep the club in the Premier League.

Sports Mole looks at the uncertain future of Sunderland following the resignation of Dick Advocaat, just eight games into the Premier League season.

The Burnley boss has been among the favourites for the vacant Black Cats post ever since Dick Advocaat handed in his notice on Sunday following the draw with West Ham United. “I find it wonderful that I have experienced it. That’s enough for me”, said Advocaat.

He initially agreed to lead Sunderland only until the end of last season, shedding tears as their survival was secured with a 0-0 draw at Arsenal. He was coaxed out of retirement by Sunderland owner Ellis Short but he insists he doesn’t regret changing his mind.

“Apart from your family, everybody is criticising you, a lot of the time it’s not in a polite way and for a gentleman who has done just about everything in his life, in different countries with global and club football, maybe he thinks, ‘I don’t need this now, ‘ he said”. The fans supported me until the final day, even though they did not know I was leaving. “The club knew we had to strengthen ourselves, but the chairman [Ellis Short] never told me how much we could spend”. I was doing nothing else.

The American faces a huge challenge on his hands as reports suggest that sporting director Lee Congerton will be following Advocaat out of the Stadium of Light, due to his frustration with a lack of funds for transfer over the summer.

Writing in his column for the Journal, Hutchison said: “Sam Allardyce would be a good choice for the job”.

“I have not asked for any settlement money nor received any and I’m 100 percent sure I’ll never coach a club again”.

“The next manager will come in and they might get out of it, they might not”.