DICK ADVOCAAT’S nine-match stint in charge of Sunderland came to an end at Chelsea last night before signalling an intention to clear up the uncertainty surrounding his future sooner rather than later.

The Dutch head coach has been asked to stay on at the Stadium of Light and has the offer of a contract waiting for his signature if he decides to go back on his word to his wife that this would be his last job in football.

Advocaat has enjoyed working on Wearside more than he ever thought he would and his emotions after guiding Sunderland to safety at Arsenal last week highlighted just how much.

But after the last game of his short term deal came to an end at Chelsea yesterday, with the Blues winning 3-1 at the home of the Premier League champions, he knows he could well have taken charge of Sunderland for the last time.

“We'll see. It is not up to me,” said Advocaat. “They have offered me already two or three years, but I have to be honest to myself and to everybody over what I will do for the future.

“As quickly as possible, because the club must know, I will say. They have to go on as well, one way or the other. Let's wait until next week, and then I'll make the decision.”

Advocaat hinted last week that he would make a decision this Thursday, but it now seems the situation will become clearer much sooner.

There is a growing feeling that the former Rangers man will not be staying, but he suggested that even if he does depart he will offer guidance to sporting director Lee Congerton and owner Ellis Short is guidance.

He said: “If I don't stay, if the question comes, I will give an answer on that (helping).”

But he has enjoyed his first role in England. He added: “I have been in several leagues, and I have managed national teams – Holland etc – and four years with Rangers. But this was great.

“It was difficult as well. It is better when you start at the beginning because then you know what you have to do. You have to tell them from the beginning that there is only one way, and that is my way.

“The players adapted to that really, really, quickly and their commitment to the club was great. They did it, and I'm very proud of them.”

Advocaat firmly believes it is tinkering by adding quality rather than quantity which is required during the summer transfer window if another relegation battle is to be avoided.

He said: “We have too many options for one position – we need a better-balanced squad. It definitely needs an overhaul. You need to get two or three players in to get better competition in your squad.

“We cannot do like Chelsea, who have 17 or 18 players the same who are always playing. The more players you have, the more questions you have about players. And then you can start changing.”

Despite knowing his attempts to keep Sunderland in the Premier League have been successful – earning him a cash bonus of £500,000 on top of his weekly wage – he was disappointed to end with a 3-1 defeat, albeit to the champions.

After Steven Fletcher had headed Sunderland ahead in the 26th minute, Chelsea responded with a Diego Costa penalty seven minutes before the break when John O’Shea tripped Juan Cuadrado. Loic Remy then scored two in the last 20 minutes to start the title party at the Bridge.

Advocaat said: “I think there was no need to lose 3-1, because we had enough opportunities to score ourselves. But it was a game, and at the end you know that Chelsea have the better players with the better skills and they make easier goals than we do.

“For me it was important to see a team that was free of relegation here, and they were not scared to do something.”

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho stood alongside Advocaat shortly after Sunderland’s opener when Didier Drogba was carried off by his team-mates as a mark of respect at the end of the Ivorian’s Blues career.

The Sunderland head coach said: “I didn’t have any problem with it at all. Mr Mourinho, before the game, came to me and explained it so we knew what would happen. So there was no problem at all. That player [Drogba] deserved it, too.”

Mourinho said: “It was the last time he was going to be on the pitch, we left him for half an hour. The captaincy was John’s desire to give him the armband.

“After that the players decided to bring him off the pitch, it was between them. They like him a lot ... I am really happy because he was part of the other team and he belongs to new Chelsea.

“For these players to play with him, train, share with him, is fantastic. He was a very good thing for the young players like Eden Hazard, Willian ... He was a fantastic contribution for us this season. And they all deserved that title celebrations at the end.”