Advocaat walks out after questions on Sunderland future

Under-pressure Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat cut short his pre-match press conference on Friday amid further questions over his future.

Some reports have suggested Advocaat – whose side are rooted to the foot of the Premier League table without a win – will quit the Black Cats if they fail to claim their first three points against Slaven Bilic’s West Ham at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Advocaat sought to deflect a series of questions on the subject before leaving the media room at the club’s training ground less than two minutes into the section of the press conference reserved for newspaper journalists.

Advocaat said: “I always think in facts and the fact is it is now Friday and I am the manager of Sunderland, and I am the manager of Sunderland tomorrow as well.

“What will happen on Sunday or a week on Sunday or nine months after Sunday, then I will tell you real story, but now I’m still here and nothing has changed.”

Advocaat, who has grown increasingly exasperated by his side’s below-par displays, reiterated his recent insistence that if and when he feels it is time to leave the Black Cats he will do so.

He added: “I told you that when I feel it’s the time to do something then I will do that, and today is not the time to do something.

“For me the most important thing is to discuss what is happening tomorrow and that is the reason I am here – not maybe what will happen tomorrow or a week tomorrow or in nine months’ time.

“The fact is I am here and tomorrow I am here, but what happens after that is (the same as) for all the managers – everything can change in a day or a week or nine months.”

Defoe recall?

Advocaat must decide whether to restore striker Jermain Defoe to his starting line-up after leaving him on the bench for last week’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester United.

Otherwise Advocaat has no fresh injury concerns for a game he described as Sunderland’s “Cup final” as they seek some desperately needed momentum heading into another international break.

Advocaat added: “We have to use tomorrow as a Cup final and get that result because if you win you get confidence – but it is quite difficult to get that win.

“We are working hard in training and we are trying to change games – we did it last year so why can’t we do it now with a better squad?

“After Spurs we played Manchester United and Manchester City but the problem is it is still difficult to accept when you lose. Against other teams we have to start getting results, because otherwise we are going down.”

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