SAM ALLARDYCE thinks Sunderland will have an instant lift at Upton Park tomorrow – even if new head coach Dick Advocaat has taken over slightly later than he had envisaged.

Advocaat was confirmed as Gus Poyet’s successor on Tuesday after owner Ellis Short acted to sack the Uruguayan following last Saturday’s woeful 4-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa.

Time ran out for Poyet after weeks of uncertainty after his outspoken comments against the fans and media as well as a worsening sequence of results and performances.

Advocaat has hinted that he had been waiting for the call to take over at the Stadium of Light before he eventually took over the reins on Wearside from Poyet.

“I expected they would do it (sack Poyet) earlier, but they didn't," Advocaat said in an interview in his native Holland. “Poyet was a coach who is very self-focused. They were looking for someone with experience, a guy who knows what it's about. For this short time they didn't want to take the risk to get an inexperienced coach.”

Advocaat, recommended by Frank Arnesen who worked with the Black Cats sporting director Lee Congerton at Hamburg, has a wealth of experience in the game having managed at the highest level in a number of countries as well on the international stage.

And while he is only in the post for the remaining nine matches of the season, he has already warmed to working in the Premier League.

The 67-year-old: “It's great. You see how big the club is and well organised. The academy where they train is only five years old. It looks great. The stadium I have not seen, but it seems to be great. The first two days were good. We have a decent team if everyone is fit.

“But John O’Shea and Sebastian Larsson for example, have not trained this week but need to play on Saturday because the group is quite small. Then you have the derby against Newcastle United, so you hope that there are a few players back for then.”

It has been widely speculated that Allardyce, the Hammers boss, is one of those in contention to fill the post on a long-term basis once Advocaat’s short stint comes to an end.

That would largely depend on whether Sunderland, under their adopted sporting director model, would welcome a manager used to having contorl of his own squad personnel and backroom team.

But Allardyce, a former Newcastle boss and Sunderland defender who is out of contract at Upton Park in the summer, is certain that Short has the right man in place to give his old club a boost to guide them away from relegation trouble.

Allardyce said: “They've moved swiftly to make a change and give themselves the best possible chance of getting the points they need. The players at Sunderland will be hurt that they've let the fans down with a 4-0 defeat last week and I think we'll have a very tough game on Saturday.

“Dick Advocaat has managed around the world so I don't think there will be too many surprises for him coming to manage in the Premier League. It's more about him getting used to his players and how best to use them to get a result.

“A new manager can have an instant effect but then it might take a bit longer. It can be a short-term thing, although generally over the long-term the stats show it doesn't make a huge difference, but I think it can in the short term.”