Big Dick Advocaat is back - where does it leave us?

The slightly surprising news yesterday that Dick Advocaat has returned as Sunderland manager caught the bookies on the hop and has earned Mrs Advocaat a nice bunch of flowers, by all accounts. It's nice to have a quality manager that knows his football, has the backing of the players, understands the club (already) and has a great rapport with the fans. But it doesn't answer the questions around the playing staff of the club. We still need an overhaul, but the stories that went with Advocaat's departure (of him telling Ellis Short that we needed to buy quality rather than quantity) and the stories that went with his return (of him being promised £50m for players) are promising signs.

Personally, I hope that the gap between him leaving and re-signing was because of negotiations over the transfer policy rather than misgivings from his wife. I suppose we'll never know.

I've already looked at what I think should be potential transfer targets in a previous blog-

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The exception to the players I had identified would probably be Keiran Trippier. I stated that I thought he should be looked at as a new right-back based in the link to Sean Dyche, who was the favourite to take over as manager at the time. Rumours have linked us with Sam Byram from Leeds as a potential new right-back and, although I haven't seen him play, he is highly regarded.

There should now be a renewed feeling of optimism at the Stadium of Light and with the right signings (over to you, Lee Congerton) we can look forward to moving away from a relegation battle next season - but I think that at the same time every year.

The fact that Advocaat has signed a one-year deal means that we have to start work on his replacement straight away. Bringing in a Kevin Phillips now as his number 2, or promoting Paul Bracewell at the end of the season are better options than going into this blindly and looking for a new manager next June rather than this. I hope that the club sees sense in this and takes steps right now to ensure continuity at the end of the upcoming season.

My hopes for Sunderland's team next season

Assuming that we keep the same formation that we've played for the last two seasons (4-5-1 when defending, 4-3-3 when attacking) then this is the team I'd like to see us put together for the start of next season-

Pantillimon

NEW Right Back

Van Aanholt

NEW Centre Back

NEW Centre Back

Cattermole

Larsson

Rodwell

Defoe

Giaccherini or Adam Johnson

NEW Attacking Left Midfielder

In terms of the changes, some are players I don't see as having a future with the club and others are players that I only see as back up to the first team. For instance - Billy Jones and Steven Fletcher fit into the second category, Wes Brown and Connor Whickham fit into the first.

There is still the fact that the club haven't found a manager yet, but I believe that Lee Congerton should be looking at sounding out targets and getting the obvious gaps in out squad filled. Dick Advocaat reported to Congerton, Byrne and Short that the squad needs quality first team players, and I'd look at the following solutions-

Steven Caulker from QPR as a ball-winning centre half. He's a threat from attacking corners and has more pace than O'Shea or Brown.

Sebastian Coates from Liverpool as his central defensive partner. I think we saw enough from Coates during the run in to think that he can do a respectable job for us, on the basis that the transfer fee and wage demands aren't too high.

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Johnny Evans who has been told he's surplus to requirements at Man Utd. He's got form for Sunderland and would complement a Caulker-type centre back well.

Leroy Fer from QPR was one of the very few bright spots in their season and I think he's a quality player with Premier League experience at two clubs (although with 2 relegations under his belt.) He could play in one of the wide roles or in central midfield and scores a few as well.

Kieran Trippier looked solid defensively and reasonable going forward for Burnley last season. If the bookies are correct and Sean Dyche becomes manager then maybe he could persuade Trippier to come to us. I think he's better than Billy Jones, although Jones did end the season well and I'd keep him in the squad.

I've made the attacking right midfielder role in my team as shared between Giaccherini and Adam Johnson as I think Johnson may miss some of the season and Giaccherini's injury record is atrocious.

Any additions to this wish list would be in a loan basis from one of the big clubs. I'd live to take Patrick Bamford from Chelsea, Danny Wellbeck from Arsenal and either Adnan Januzaj or James Wilson from Manchester United.