Six managers in four years, and no further away from the relegation dogfight – this is Sunderland AFC.
For all the praised arrivals and dismal departures had by the Black Cats, recent managerial casualty, Dick Advocaat, was once again hailed as the man to seriously turn the Wearside outfit around. And why not? Advocaat is an accomplished helmsman; he’s won league titles with four different clubs in three different countries, he won a treble and a double with Rangers in successive seasons, and secured European honours for Zenit St. Petersberg.
At the end of last season, the 67-year-old Advocaat entertained the idea of retirement.
This made sense, his team escaped the drop to the Championship by three points, his tenure was punctuated with frequent losses. Despite this, on the final day of the 2014-2015 season, Advocaat’s surviving Black Cats had moved him to tears. Dick retired from managing in 2015 and subsequently announced his return from retirement 15 days later, penning a new one-year deal with Sunderland.
On his return, Dick demanded at least 6 quality players to revitalize a Sunderland squad that frequently succumbed to many a humiliating loss last season. The club made good on at least part of its promise. Sunderland brought in eight new players. This included Manchester City’s keeper-in-waiting, Costel Pantillimon, perennial Chelsea youth prospect, Patrick van Aanholt, and former Tottenham striker, Jermain Defoe. Although you could debate whether or not Advocaat really got what he wanted.
Given the woeful start to Sunderland’s season, most of the blame thrown at different members of the club’s staff can easily turn into collateral damage. I would argue that the Director of Football system, along with the club’s financial state, is what is truly to be blamed here.
Sporting Director of Sunderland Lee Congerton has been at the club for 3 seasons now and whilst somewhat more successful his predecessor, Congerton would never be able to pull off the coup of hauling in 6 quality players. Advocaat’s request for Sunderland’s sporting director was an exercise in futility.
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Black Cats’ chairman Ellis Short also comes into the frame here as he is not immune from criticism.
With all due respect, it’s highly unreasonable to ask a clubs chairman to pool the entirety of his earnings on one singular goal. Whichever way you look at it, Sunderland do not have the money to invest in a large number of ‘quality players’.
Look no further than the players Congerton did actually bring to Wearside to reinforce the notion that Advocaat’s departure was a predetermined one as a result of limited financial backing.
Jeremain Lens and Yann M’Vila have both looked exceptional in Sunderland’s lackluster XI, they most likely fit Advocaat’s criteria of what a quality player is.
Ola Toivonen and Fabio Borini have been decent enough, but not exactly outstanding. The likes of Younes Kaboul and Sebastian Coates have been at the heart of a defence that has so far shipped 18 goals, the most of any team in the top flight.
I’m afraid that’s two out of six, Lee.
The lack of quality transfers are at the heart of Sunderland’s current shortcomings. The club could not match Advocaat’s ambitions and as a result he was given an incomplete side to work with.
It’s most likely that the Dutchman believed he had taken Sunderland as far as he can, he would never have been able to have his footballing philosophy properly realized, unfortunately.