Football: Advocaat sets Thursday deadline to decide Sunderland future
Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat has revealed he will wait until next Thursday before telling the Premier League club whether he will accept their offer to remain in charge. Advocaat arrived at the Stadium of Light on a short-term contract in March and has managed to preserve the team's top-flight status with an impressive run of just two defeats in his eight matches. After Wednesday's goalless draw at Arsenal ensured they would avoid relegation, the Dutchman was told by owner Ellis Short that he could stay in charge next season. But the 67-year-old former Glasgow Rangers boss, who has said he will retire when he leaves Sunderland, plans to take his time before deciding if the Black Cats can match his ambitions. "They have made me an offer, yes," Advocaat told reporters on Friday. "It is in principle not so important in that way, it is also important what the club wants. Can they invest or not? That's also important to know for myself before I take that decision." To be certain of avoiding another stressful relegation battle if he stays, Advocaat wants Short to guarantee he will fund a major overhaul of a squad that has required late-season surges to stay up over the last two years. "We were discussing that, but he is a very clever man. In principle, he would like more on a regular basis to become more from 10th to the better places. But you also know that you have to invest, otherwise in this league you have no chance," Advocaat added. "Our players have done really, really well in the last eight games, but they need an injection of fresh new players to get more competition in the squad - but not in quantity, in quality." The Dutchman has had detailed conversations to have with both Short and sporting director Lee Congerton, but he also needs to talk to his wife after promising her the Sunderland job would be his last in football. "The family has a say in this, yes, but I don't want to discuss that on a wider basis. Let's wait and see next week," he said. "I have to make the decision next week, and I will tell the people from Sunderland on Thursday what I will do."
