Sam Allardyce: Sunderland announce former West Ham head coach as new manager on two-year deal

Allardyce replaces Dick Advocaat after the Dutchman left the club last weekend

Sam Allardyce is the new Sunderland manager after signing a two-year deal (Getty Images)

Sunderland have announced that former West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has succeeded Dick Advocaat as manager at the Stadium of Light after signing a two-year deal.

The 60-year-old will take over the Black Cats with immediate effect after the news was announced on Sunderland’s official club website. Advocaat left the north-east club last weekend following the 2-2 draw with the Hammers, although the point was seen as a disappointment given that they had taken a 2-0 lead in the first-half. However, Advocaat's decision to leave the club and return to the Netherlands has already been made before the match kicked off.

Sunderland chairman Ellis Short told safc.com: “I am very pleased to welcome Sam to our football club.

“Sunderland is a club he knows well and he was the obvious best choice for the job. He has vast experience of managing in the Premier League and an understanding first-hand of the north east and the passion of our fans, which will stand him in great stead.

I have enjoyed my break from football and now I’m raring to get back

&#13; <p>Sam Allardyce, Sunderland manager</p>&#13;

“I would like to assure our fans that once Dick made us aware of his intention to leave, Lee Congerton oversaw an organised and structured recruitment process, that bore very little resemblance to what has been described in the media.

“For example, this was a very popular job, proactively sought after by a large number of managers - contrary to much of what has been portrayed. The process was made easier by the fact that Sam was such an obvious choice.

“The other misconception is that Sam had to be persuaded to join us; nothing could be further from the truth. From the very beginning, he understood the importance of this job and showed great enthusiasm for the role and a desire to be part of moving this club forward.”

Allardyce added: “I have enjoyed my break from football and now I’m raring to get back. I met with Ellis and we spoke at length about the club and his ambitions and I knew I wanted to be part of that.

“I hope to be able to help to bring the stability and success that everyone wants.

“Of course it’s a challenging job, but it’s something I have experience of in the past. I’m looking forward to working with the players and of course I will be relying on the help of the Sunderland supporters, whose tremendous passion I have experienced first-hand. I can’t wait to get started.”

Dick Advocaat felt Sunderland were ill-equipped to stay up given their lack of spending (AFP)

Allardyce faces a challenge already to lift the Black Cats out of the relegation zone after failing to win any of their opening eight games of the season under Advocaat. The only team currently below them in the Premier League table remains fierce rivals Newcastle, and Allardyce will not have to wait long before facing his former side.

With Allardyce set to take charge for the first time against West Brom at the Hawthorns on next Saturday, he will want to get his first win under his belt before taking on the Magpies the following weekend at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, 25 October.

The return fixture at St James’ Park will see a hostile welcome awaiting Allardyce on the weekend of the 19-20 March 2016. Having originally penned a three-year contract with Newcastle in May 2007, Allardyce was given the boot on 9 January 2008, meaning his reign last less than eight months.

&#13; Allardyce applauds the West Ham fans after his final match in charge last season&#13; (Getty Images)

Allardyce has been out of work since leaving West Ham at the end of last season after the club elected not to renew his contract. The fans at Upton park had a fractious relationship with Allardyce due to the style of football he employed, and despite an obvious shift in his tactics in the last of four seasons with the Hammers, a poor finish to the 2014/15 Premier League season convinced the club’s board to make do with Allardyce and hire former Croatia head coach Slaven Bilic in his place.