Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat urges more aggression
Friday 14 August 2015 17:47, UK
Dick Advocaat has warned his Sunderland players they will struggle in the Premier League if they do not show more spirit.
The Dutchman was stunned at his team's capitulation at Leicester on the opening day of the season last Saturday, when they conceded three goals inside 14 first-half minutes to surrender any chance of a positive result.
Ahead of Saturday's home clash with promoted Norwich, Advocaat said: "In pre-season, we did not see a lot of good games - winning, losing, losing, winning, but not with convincing football.
"The last game against Hannover was a little bit better, more organisation, but there is no excuse for the way we played against Leicester.
"If we think we can play that way, then we have no chance at all. If this team, this squad doesn't work and there is no aggression in the team to get the ball and to do something more, then we will find it very difficult.
"But we have discussed that and Saturday they have to show me what they can do."
Advocaat was equally unequivocal at the end of last season when asked what was needed to avoid the need for a repeat of his last-gasp rescue mission, recommending an influx of quality rather than quantity in the summer transfer market.
Holland international midfielder Jeremain Lens fits the bill, while Adam Matthews and Yann M'Vila, who joins the senior squad for the first time this weekend, have also been added to the mix.
However, the club is desperate to boost its attacking options and Manchester United youngster Adnan Januzaj and former loan signing Fabio Borini are among a series of options under consideration.
Advocaat refused to shed any light on the search for new recruits, saying: "We have still 14 days to go and there is no reason now to discuss a lot of things. Let's wait for the next 14 days and then we have the facts."
The head coach saw his resources depleted further this week by the loss of midfielder Adam Johnson to a shoulder injury, but a scan has revealed no lasting damage.
Johnson will not be involved against the Canaries but central defender John O'Shea hopes to figure after being named only among the substitutes last weekend, although Advocaat is adamant he will pick his team based on a vision for the future.
He said: "It is not relevant, what he (O'Shea) has done. Yesterday is yesterday, today is today and we have to think in the future, not in the past.
"His career - the same with Wes Brown - has been only good things, but at a certain moment, I have to make decisions. That's the reason that I'm the manager.
"It's not nice for him, but that's the way it goes. But he gave the right answer when I told him that he was not in: 'We have a long season', and that's true."
