Dick Advocaat continues to insist he remains the right man to lead Sunderland, despite their awful start to the Premier League season.
The Dutch coach was afforded hero status at the Stadium of Light last season when, after succeeding the sacked Gus Poyet in March, he led the club to Premier League safety. At the end of the campaign he resigned from his position, as he had always intended to do, but during the summer he was persuaded to prolong his stay at Wearside and sign a new one-year contract.
Advocaat was able to bring in nine new players to his squad during the window, including Jeremain Lens, Yann M’Vila and Fabio Borini, but he has cut a frustrated figure as his side have collected just two points from their opening six matches which sees them rooted to the foot of the table. However, the 67-year-old insists that, at the moment, he is the best man to lead the club.
“Let’s be clear. If I feel that it is better that somebody else takes over, I am the first man who will say ‘better for the club, I will go’. Believe me,” he said. “I’ll know first and I am very far away from that. I still have a good feeling about this squad and, if we get 40 points, I think we have enough.”
Sunderland now have a welcome respite from the Premier League when they welcome Manchester City to the Stadium of Light for a League Cup clash on Tuesday night. They then travel to Old Trafford on Saturday to take on second-placed Manchester United, when they will be hoping for a repeat of their memorable 1-0 win during their escape bid of 2013-14.
