Former Dutch national team manager Dick Advocaat has been appointed as the new manager at Sunderland.
After a meeting with the club hierarchy yesterday, Gus Poyet was sacked from his role as the manager of the Black Cats.
With only one win in their last 12 league fixtures, the Sunderland board were forced to make a decision on Poyet’s future as the club are now perilously close to the relegation zone.
However, with the dismissal of Poyet, Sunderland were under pressure to bring in someone who could help the side to maintain their Premier League status this season and they have appointed Advocaat as their new manager.
The the former Dutch international boss and Rangers manager flew into England yesterday to agree a deal with the Black Cats for a managerial role at the Stadium of Light.
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Advocaat is a vastly experienced manager and has been out of work since resigning as Serbia coach in November. He has worked at clubs such as Rangers, PSV Eindhoven and Zenit Saint-Petersburg and has won domestic league titles in the Netherlands, Scotland and Russia.
"We have one aim only now – to climb the table – and everyone is fully focused on the task ahead of us", Sunderland chairman Ellis Short told the club's official site.
Advocaat, 67, 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 are 17th in the Premier League table at the moment and Advocaat will take the reins for their game against West Ham on Saturday at Upton Park.
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