Advocaat spoke to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf and he said that while he enjoyed the experience of coaching in the Premier League he didn’t believe he was the right man for a season in the drop zone.
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Asked if Advocaat’s heart was in it, Neville said: “I don’t think so”. The Frenchman, who is currently in charge of Manchester City’s reserves and academy, was a 9/1 shot yesterday, but is now as long as 16/1, with the former Arsenal star unlikely to give up his role at City to take over at Sunderland.
He initially agreed to lead Sunderland only until the end of last season, shedding tears as their survival was secured with a 0-0 draw at Arsenal.
North-east rivals Newcastle are the only team below them in the Premier League table. He was coaxed out of retirement by Sunderland owner Ellis Short but he insists he doesn’t regret changing his mind. Even on Saturday, on three or four occasions during the first half there were loud chants for me. “The fans supported me until the last day, although they did not know I was leaving”.
“It’s nothing to do with me”.
Despite still holding down regular places in the team, the continued poor form may suggest that the fault lies with the playing staff rather than the host of managers that have travelled up to the North East to try to galvanise the Black Cats. “I’m not. I’m here, I want to win games, I’m getting on with it”.
Advocaat appeared to recognise the problems, as he told Studio Voetbal: “Our squad was simply not good enough. The club knew we had to strengthen ourselves, but the chairman [Ellis Short] never told me how much we could spend”.
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The search for a replacement – which is perhaps further complicated by the fact that sporting director Lee Congerton is understood to be working his period of notice – is under way, although a definitive list of potential targets is yet to be drawn up.
