Dick Advocaat Named Sunderland Head Coach

Former Rangers manager Dick Advocaat is the new head coach at Sunderland.

Published 17th Mar 2015

He said: “Sunderland is a big club and I am very much looking forward to the challenge ahead. We must now concentrate on Saturday as a priority and I can’t wait to get started.”

Sunderland AFC chairman Ellis Short said: “Dick has an incredible CV and vast experience of managing at the very highest level. We have one aim only now - to climb the table and everyone is fully focused on the task ahead of us.”

He is Gus Poyet’s replacement, after he was sacked as the Black Cats are just a point above the Premier League’s relegation spots.

Advocaat is their seventh manager or head coach in six years.

He has previously been manager at national sides Netherlands and Serbia, the latter his latest position.

He will be joined at the Stadium of Light by Zeljko Petrovic as first team coach and former Swansea and England under-20 goalkeeping coach, Adrian Tucker. Sunderland AFC academy coach Paul Bracewell will also support the head coach and his backroom team for the final nine games of the season.

Speaking before the appointment Martin McFadden, the editor of fanzine A Love Supreme, said he wants whoever it is to be given a fair shot: “At some stage the club needs to get some stability.

“Peter Reid who is seen as the most successful manager we’ve had in recent times, these days we probably would have sacked him a couple of times before he even got a chance.”

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