SUNDERLAND are already weighing up Dick Advocaat’s successor just 24 hours after the experienced Dutchman started work as the club’s new head coach.

Advocaat has told the Black Cats that he is willing to take on the task of keeping them in the Premier League but he is not interested in staying in the role beyond this season at this stage.

The 67-year-old has already retired from club football on a couple of occasions and sources in Holland suggest his wife, Dieuwke, would prefer him to be working away for only a few months at a time.

That suits Sunderland, whose sporting director Lee Congerton sought advice from Carlo Ancelotti and Sir Alex Ferguson over the appointment, and they are assessing a more long-term solution to take over this summer.

Paul Clement, Ancelotti’s assistant at Real Madrid, Derby County boss Steve McClaren and former England manager Glenn Hoddle are three of the names under consideration along with Sam Allardyce. The latter, though, would not be best suited to working under a sporting director model.

For now Advocaat has the job of keeping Sunderland in the top-flight with nine matches remaining. It remains to be seen whether a successful period could persuade both parties to extend the initial term of his contract.

The former Rangers boss has never been relegated during more than 30 years of management at club and international level. He has been joined by former Swansea and England Under-20 coach Adrian Tucker and first team coach Zeljko Petrovic. Paul Bracewell, the Sunderland academy coach, will assist with the first team.

Advocaat said: “Sunderland is a big club and I am very much looking forward to the challenge ahead. We must now concentrate on Saturday as a priority and I can’t wait to get started.”

Sunderland owner Ellis Short is confident that the man who has replaced Gus Poyet can deliver quickly.

Short said: “Dick has an incredible CV and vast experience of managing at the very highest level. We have one aim only now – to climb the table and everyone is fully focused on the task ahead of us.”

While Advocaat – who will not have £10m winger Adam Johnson to call on while police continue their investigations even though he has had his bail extended until April 23 following his arrest - will not be able to tinker with the personnel in his squad but will make changes to the way the team operate.

And Neil McCann, who worked under him during his time in charge at Ibrox, is certain Advocaat has the tactical acumen to turn things around at Sunderland in a short space of time.

McCann said: “I experienced a different style of football and coaching under him. The one thing Sunderland fans and players will see is a presence. He doesn’t suffer fools gladly. He is so organised and disciplined in his approach to everything.

“He will be an attacking coach, which is what Sunderland have lacked. Dick will find that formula and he will try to find it fast. I found him a brilliant coach and he will be fully up to date on how the Premier League works – every player in it. He will have a dossier.

“I am not surprised by the appointment. There will be an onus on defending but he will get the goals to get them away from relegation with nine matches remaining.

“I have seen him at close quarters. He changed the dynamics of how we played. If he does keep them up then why would Sunderland not want someone like that long term. Dick has proven in the past he can be successful.”