Black Cats impress then implode to sum up Advocaat era
DICK ADVOCAAT cried at the sight of his Sunderland team finally bringing smiles to the faces of fans in his last match at the Stadium of Light — but they were all left wearing a familiar grimace as a two-goal lead was surrendered in typically calamitous fashion.
The 68-year-old — who is set to quit after becoming disillusioned with life at the Premier League’s perennial strugglers — welled up with emotion in a first half which ranks as the best performance of his seven months on Wearside.
That they were then reduced to 10 men and left clinging to a point serves to highlight the challenge facing the next manager.
Afterwards, Advocaat refused to confirm he will leave the Black Cats but, tellingly, he said: ‘It’s been difficult because sometimes I cannot do what I want to do, but they are good guys and they have shown what they are really capable of. It’s good for the future of the club.
‘I have made a decision on my future. It has nothing to do with this game.’
Sunderland’s opener came after a cunning free-kick. With everyone anticipating a cross into the area, set-piece taker Yann M’Vila skidded the ball
back to the penalty spot, where Steven Fletcher had peeled free to fire first-time through a ruck of bodies and into the net.
Sunderland’s lead was doubled on 22 minutes, although West Ham were entirely complicit in its concession.
Dmitri Payet’s pass sold Winston Reid short and that allowed M’Vila to spring Jermain Lens clear, and he dispatched the most delicate of chips above Adrian and in via the underside of the bar.
Advocaat raced to the touchline in celebration before settling back in his seat with tears in his eyes.
If they were tears of joy, then he might well have flooded the dugout had John O’Shea made it three when his header, from Lens’s corner, was kept out by the desperate claw of Adrian.
Fabio Borini, though, should have put the game out of sight after Fletcher’s impudent flick had put him in the clear but the former Liverpool forward slotted the wrong side of the post.
Sunderland’s lead was halved just before the interval as Carl Jenkinson finished from Victor Moses’s cross.
West Ham were in the ascendancy after the restart and their task was made all the easier by Lens’s needless red card. He was given a second yellow by Neil Swarbrick when his reckless scissor challenge downed Reid.
Within two minutes West Ham were level as Manuel Lanzini’s swerving effort was hopelessly parried by Costel Pantilimon and Payet stole in to score.
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic embraced Advocaat on full-time, and revealed: ‘I told him to stay. I know Dick, I am a big admirer. If he goes, the Premier League will miss him.’