By Mike Collett
LONDON (Reuters) - Sunderland are banking on the guile of Dick Advocaat to steer them to safety after the English Premier League strugglers appointed the Dutchman as head coach until the end of the season on Tuesday.
The club, who sacked Gus Poyet on Monday following a poor run of results that culminated in a 4-0 home thrashing by Aston Villa at the weekend, are one point and one place clear of the relegation zone with nine matches remaining.
"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," the former Dutch national coach said in a statement on the club website (www.safc.com).
Poyet departed following a run of just one win in 12 league matches which has left the club in danger of relegation after eight seasons in the Premier League and Advocaat's immediate aim will be to win at West Ham United on Saturday.
The 67-year-old has no Premier League experience but he did lead Rangers to successive Scottish titles in 1999 and 2000 and is one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the game.
As well as coaching the Netherlands, he has also coached the national teams of the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Belgium, Russia and Serbia.
At club level, he has coached Borussia Moenchengladbach, Zenit St Petersburg, AZ Alkmaar and PSV Eindhoven as well as Rangers.
His move to Sunderland represents something of a gamble for owner Ellis Short because, historically speaking, changing managers so late in the season, rarely has any major effect on the team.
Since the Premier League started in 1992-93, 14 managers have been appointed on March 17 or later with little positive impact.
Of those 14, only one managed to improve the team's position in the few games remaining, while all six clubs who were in the relegation zone when the change was made, still went down.