No regrets for Advocaat amid Sunderland struggles

Sunderland head coach Dick Advocaat insists he has “no regrets” over staying on at the Stadium of Light but has urged his players to take responsibility for their poor form.

Advocaat’s side sit bottom of the Premier League after six winless games and have shipped 16 goals in all competitions ahead of Tuesday’s League Cup third-round clash with Manchester City.

The Dutchman was persuaded to remain as head coach after steering the club to safety last season and Advocaat is eager to remain positive.

Asked if he still enjoyed the job, he said: “Very much so, we are still seeing some parts the way I like to play but it needs a bit more.

“[I have] no regrets, if I feel it is better that someone else comes in and takes over, I will be the first to say: ‘It’s better for the club, I will go’. Believe me.”

Sunderland’s difficult start to the campaign continued at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday – the hosts leading 2-0 after nine minutes before Younes Kaboul was dismissed late on.

The result once again left Advocaat angry, with the former Netherlands coach revealing he had asked his Sunderland players to take responsibility.

“I was angry, I was angry because of the first 10 or 15 minutes,” he added.

“It’s always difficult if you give those kind of goals away and then it’s very difficult to come back so I was angry that we gave two easy goals away.

“We have to start better and start taking our chances. We always come back [training] the day after the game – we played Saturday so Sunday morning was training.

“I did not discuss it with them, I said maybe it’s better that you start thinking because I do it every game. I analyse what I did wrong and right but sometimes it’s better for the players to do everything.

“This is a squad who like to give everything but if you are 2-0 down after 20 minutes in an away game it’s very difficult to come back.”