Dick Advocaat: Sunderland boss praises fans for wife's flowers
Last updated on .From the section Sunderland
Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat has thanked fans who raised money to send his wife flowers after he announced he was staying at the club.
Advocaat originally said he would leave at the end of last season because his wife wanted him to retire.
But the Dutchman, 67, who helped the Black Cats to Premier League safety, signed a new one-year contract in June.
"It's the first time in my life that the fans have sent some flowers to our house," said Advocaat.
Supporters raised more than £1,000 to buy flowers for Advocaat's wife.
Fans said it was set up by a user of the Sunderland Message Board "to give Mrs Advocaat a big thank you for giving us another year of the little general".
"That was something special," added Advocaat. "The family were not really happy for me to go on.
"Finally they agreed and then it was easy for me to say I was coming back.
"At a certain moment everyone was convinced that it was better for me to go on rather than sit at home."
Former Netherlands, Belgium and Russia manager Advocaat agreed to take charge in March until the end of the 2014-15 season after Gus Poyet was sacked.
Since guiding Sunderland to 16th in the Premier League table, he has signed Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates and Celtic full-back Adam Matthews.
But he still wants to strengthen his squad before the start of the 2015-16 season, which begins with a match at Leicester on 8 August.
Asked how many more signings he wants, he said: "Three, maybe four.
"It is still very quiet on the transfer market, in England as well. It's strange."
