WHEN Dick Advocaat sat in the media lounge at the Stadium of Light following last Saturday’s defeat to Norwich City, he had the look of a beaten man. For someone who has led managed at World Cups and guided teams to league and cup successes, the experienced Dutchman appeared shell-shocked after what he had witnessed.

For the second game in a row the Black Cats had turned in an abject display which smacked of a side destined for a season of struggle once more.

He had hoped such a campaign would be behind him after accepting to stay on for a further 12 months, having successfully kept Sunderland in the Premier league during his nine-match spell at the end of last season.

Advocaat's new-look defence had gone missing for the second game in a row against a confident Canaries fresh from promotion out of the Championship.

The situation has even raised concerns among supporters that Advocaat, a former Holland and PSV Eindhoven coach among others, might decide to disappear into retirement when the transfer window shuts if he has not had the backing he needs to sign new players.

The first day of the turnaround, it is hoped, was last Sunday when the defeated and downbeat players were told to head for a team meeting at the Academy of Light to discuss the failings of the first week of the campaign.

Ahead of this afternoon’s visit of Swansea City, the performance will highlight what – if anything – has been learned. Sunderland, with more and more fans claiming to feel as low as they have felt supporting their club, cannot afford further embarrassment.

“He’s (Dick Advocaat) been like, you know, a dad with his sons,” said Younes Kaboul, who has been forced out of this afternoon's game through injury. “He’s been positive, and spoken about what’s wrong. He’s the manager so he tries every day to bring the spirit back into the team, and he’s done well. But it’s up to us.

“He’s the manager, and we are on the pitch so we have to do our best to make this situation better. There is plenty of experience in the squad, and a lot of quality. That’s why I’m not really worried about staying where we are, because I know each player has a lot of quality on the pitch.

“They are good guys and we will work all together, like a unit, and I’m sure when we win a game we can have a good run after that.”

While Sunderland have lost the first two matches, Swansea head for Wearside buoyed by two performances which have heralded four points against Chelsea and Newcastle United. The attacking output of the Swans, with wingers Jefferson Montero and Andre Ayew supporting central figures Gylfi Sigurdsson and Bafetimbi Gomis, will cause problems.

Kaboul said: “Yeah, of course, they are a good team to watch. They’ve got some good individual players who play well together. But we are really hungry, so we will give our maximum on the pitch to win the game.

“I know Bafetimbi very well. He’s a good guy, a good player. He won’t give us any mercy on the pitch. He had a quiet first season there but this time he’s really bright, really sharp, like all of his teammates. But it’s a football game and you have 90 minutes to win it.”

Kaboul’s first two performances have been heavily criticised, but so have the displays of many of his team-mates and John O’Shea will be in back four this afternoon.

But the 29-year-old, a £4m signing from Tottenham, is determined to make a success of his switch; even though Sunderland supporters remember claims from his agent that he would never move to Sunderland “even if there was an earthquake” in 2008 when he rejected the overtures of chairman Niall Quinn and then manager Roy Keane.

Kaboul said: “I never said anything like that. That was (my agent) eight years ago, and I would never allow myself to say anything like that because I’ve got a lot of respect for every club.

“I’ve been in the Premier League for quite a long time, and I’ve got to know this club, the atmosphere and I’m very happy here.

“I made my Tottenham debut here (at the Stadium of Light) and I was really impressed by the atmosphere. It was my first game in this country, and I was really surprised by the atmosphere.”

And he hopes to contribute to a turnaround which brings back that ‘atmosphere’. He said: “We don’t need to hide. Everything will get better. At some point it has to be done.

“I can understand the fans, their feelings. They really care but we care also, and the best way to get better is to go out all together, the club and the fans.

“That’s what I like from a football club. The fans at Sunderland are really behind us, and I really respect that so I hope we can have some great times all together.”