Football
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Dick Advocaat offered Sunderland job, set to make decision next week

Dick Advocaat will give Sunderland an answer next Thursday on whether or not he is prepared to stay on as head coach after considering chairman Ellis Short's plans for the club.

Advocaat was given just nine games in which to preserve Sunderland's Premier League status after being handed the job on a temporary basis in March.

And there were tears of joy from the 67-year-old on Wednesday night as the club secured a 0-0 draw against Arsenal to claim the point that ensured they avoided relegation.

Advocaat confirmed on Friday that he has been made an offer to stay on at Sunderland and that he will respond to it next week.

"They have made me an offer, yes," Advocaat said.

"It is in principle not so important in that way, it is also important what the club wants. Can they invest or not? That's also important to know for myself before I take that decision.''

That decision could depend on how much cash Short is prepared to throw at the task of strengthening a squad which for much of the campaign has struggled to win games -- 17 of Sunderland's 38 points to date have come from draws.

Advocaat added: "We were discussing that, but he is a very clever man. In principle, he would like more on a regular basis to become more from 10th to the better places. But you also know that you have to invest, otherwise in this league you have no chance.

"Our players have done really, really well in the last eight games, but they need an injection of fresh new players to get more competition in the squad -- but not in quantity, in quality.''

If the Dutchman has detailed conversations to have with both Short and sporting director Lee Congerton, he also needs to talk to his wife after reportedly promising her the Sunderland job would be his last in football, and that his stay would be temporary.

"The family has a say in this, yes, but I don't want to discuss that on a wider basis. Let's wait and see next week," Advocaat said.

"I have said already many times, I have to discuss it and I haven't done it yet. I will start doing that next week, but I want to tell [the club] as quickly as possible. I have to make the decision next week, and I will tell the people from Sunderland on Thursday what I will do.''

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