DICK ADVOCAAT has nine games to save Sunderland from relegation after having his wish to manage in the Premier League before retirement granted.
The Black Cats are his 15th different professional post – nine clubs including two spells with PSV and AZ Alkmaar - since bringing an end to his solid if unspectacular playing career after a spell with Utrecht in 1984.
Despite boasting league titles and European success stories, not all of Advocaat’s jobs have ended in glory. Chief football writer Paul Fraser has looked back at the 67-year-old’s previous roles to determine which ended in satisfaction or disappointment.
DSVP (1980-1984)
For the last four years of his playing career he took his first steps in coaching with amateur side Door Samenwerking Verkregen Pijnacker. His enjoyment and methods laid the foundations for his professional coaching career. HIT
HAARLEM (1987-89)
After three years as number two to Holland boss and mentor Rinus Michels, he was handed his first professional managerial job and he had two solid years in charge without winning a trophy. HIT
SVV (1989-91)
His work with Haarlem and Michels led to his move to SVV operating under former Celtic boss Wim Jansen, who was technical director. Advocaat guided them to promotion by winning the Dutch Second Division. HIT
SVV/DORDRECHT (1991-92)
Alongside working as Michels for a second time with Holland, Advocaat juggled his job with SVV, who had merged with Dordrecht, and he kept them up in their second season in the Eredivisie after winning a relegation play-off. He was criticised for defensive football. MISS
HOLLAND (1992-94)
He took over from Michels after Euro 1992. He fell out with key player Ruud Gullit over tactics and had been expected to lose his job but ended up leading his country to the quarter-finals of the World Cup after edging out England in qualification. He then stepped down. HIT
PSV EINDHOVEN (1994-98)
This was Advocaat’s first major success story. After guiding PSV to second place and the Dutch Cup in his first season, he then led them to the Eredivisie title and a Champions League spot before leaving to take over at Rangers in 1998. HIT
RANGERS (1998-2001)
After receiving the financial backing to bring in some big names, Advocaat steered the Gers to a domestic treble in his first year in charge. He followed that up by retaining the SPL title by a 21-point margin. Rangers won nothing the following year and he stepped down when Martin O’Neill’s Celtic were in control midway through the 2001-02 campaign. HIT
HOLLAND (2002-04)
His second spell in charge of his country saw Holland reach the semi-finals of Euro 2004 but it was more remembered across the North Sea for his big fall-out with the Dutch media. He was widely criticised for requiring a qualification play-off win over Scotland. His tactics were heavily criticised and he quit after intense pressure. MISS
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH (2004-05)
He lasted just six months of his three-year contract after Borussia sat just one point above the bottom three in the Bundesliga. He had signed seven new players after accepting the job in the previous November. MISS
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (2005)
Despite signing a one-year contract he only took charge of two matches and lasted just three months because he agreed to take over South Korea instead ahead of the World Cup the following year. MISS
SOUTH KOREA (2005-06)
After embarking on a ten-game tour to prepare for the World Cup, Advocaat was unable to work his magic when the finals came around. After defeating Togo 2-1 and drawing with France, a defeat to Switzerland prevented qualification to the knock-out stages and he stepped down. MISS
ZENIT ST PETERSBURG (2006-09)
With the financial backing of gas giant Gazprom, he became the first foreign coach to win the Russian league when he got the best out of players like Andrei Arshavin. Zenit also became only the second Russian club to win a European trophy when they beat Rangers in the final of the UEFA Cup in 2008 under his watch. He was sacked after a frustrating end in 2009. HIT
BELGIUM (2009-10)
While attempting to combine club management with AZ Alkmaar, Advocaat temporarily took over the reins at Belgium but only lasted six months because he agreed to take over as Russia boss. MISS
AZ ALKMAAR (2009-10)
Before stepping down to take over Russia in the summer of 2010, Advocaat’s half season in charge after succeeding Ronald Koeman in the December saw AZ secure a fifth-place finish which could only secure a third qualifying round spot in the Europa League. MISS
RUSSIA (2010-12)
What started poorly with a home defeat to Slovakia in Euro 2012 qualifying, ended disappointingly too. Even though Russia won their qualifying group, they failed to progress at the Euros after losing to Greece in the final game. He left to take over PSV after the tournament. MISS
PSV EINDHOVEN (2012-13)
Finishing second to Ajax in the Eredivisie and losing to AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Cup final was followed by his decision to announce his retirement from club coaching, but that did not last long. HIT
AZ ALKMAAR (2013-14)
His short term contract was not extended and he stepped down at the end of the season after a poor seventh place finish in the Eredivisie. MISS
SERBIA (2014)
His last job ended disastrously. Just five months after accepting the Serbia job in July 2014, he agreed to have his contract terminated when Serbia began Euro 2016 qualifying by collecting just one point in three matches: Serbia’s worst ever start. MISS
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