Sunderland must invest in their squad this summer

Veteran Dutch boss Dick Advocaat will make an announcement on his future on Thursday

Sunderland’s last-gasp escape from relegation this season was all down to the work of their veteran Dutch boss Dick Advocaat.

He came into a team that looked like it had lost hope and all confidence in their ability to survive, yet managed to keep the Black Cats up against the odds.

Extension

The 67-year-old only signed a short deal with the north east club in March, but has revealed that he has been offered a contract extension by the club and is mulling the offer over.

Advocaat confirmed the offer by telling Sky Sports: “They have made me an offer, yes.

“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.

“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.

“I have said already many times, I have to discuss it and I haven’t done it yet. I will start doing that next week, but I want to tell [the club] as quickly as possible.

“I have to make the decision next week, and I will tell the people from Sunderland on Thursday what I will do.”

Knowledge

Advocaat has always been a canny boss, having managed the likes of Rangers and PSV in club football, as well as international teams such as Holland (twice), Belgium and Russia. He is a guy that has a tremendous knowledge of the world game.

There were concerns about his appointment because he had never managed in the Premier League prior to his short spell at the Stadium of Light. However, those concerns were unfounded as his football experience helped the Dutchman to guide the Black Cats to three victories and three draws in his eight games in charge.

Progress

Advocaat has stated that the club cannot continue to be preparing for a relegation fight every season. The Black Cats need to move forward and progress, instead of depending on last-gasp escapes every season.

Invest

The Dutchman has touched on the fact that he is waiting to find out if the club are prepared to invest in new players this summer to improve the squad before committing to the club on a contract extension.

In simple terms the Black Cats have to invest in their squad this summer if they are to keep their knowledgeable Dutch boss. In fact they have to invest in their squad for the sake of their football club.

Black Cats owner Ellis Short is supposedly ambitious and wants the club to finish in the top ten of the Premier League on a regular basis. However, the US businessman has not invested much in the club in recent transfer windows to make that happen.

Perennial relegation battles suggest that the players at the club are not good enough to be in the top-half of the Premier League. At the moment they are barely good enough to be in the Premier League.

Sunderland has such potential as a football club. They have a top-class stadium and superb fans, all they need is a team to match, but unfortunately it seems that Ellis Short is not prepared to invest much cash to gain a return of a stable top-flight football club.

Decision

Dick Advocaat will make a decision on whether he stays or goes on Thursday. Despite his claims that he has to discuss the matter with his family, I believe the deciding factor will be if the club will give him the funds to invest in new players this summer.

Advocaat has turned Sunderland from a group of players with no confidence and hope to a well-drilled, very capable team.

Ellis Short and the Sunderland hierarchy need to do everything they can in order to keep the veteran in charge at the Stadium of Light and if that means investing some of their money then so be it.

Sunderland have for too long been stuck in a cycle of fighting relegation season-after-season and Advocaat could be just the man to stop the rot on Wearside. However, if Short does not dip his hand in his pocket the Black Cats could be in for their perennial Groundhog campaign in season 2015/16.

Will Dick Advocaat be the Sunderland boss next season?