Sunderland latest: Entire squad 'is for sale' says Dick Advocaat after dreadful start to season
The Black Cats have lost their two opening games of the season in dismal fashion
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Your support makes all the difference.The entire Sunderland squad is up for sale following their worrying start to the season.
Manager Dick Advocaat revealed that any player was free to leave the Stadium of Light during a press conference on Friday to preview their match against Swansea this weekend.
"Every player is for sale if the player wants to go, he can go." Advocaat said.
That position comes amid serious concern at the way the season has begun.
Sunderland lost 4-2 to Leicester on the opening weekend - conceding three goals in the first 30 minutes of the match. They then found themselves 3-0 behind at home to newly promoted Norwich before eventually losing 3-1 last weekend.
The admission that any player could go could alert rivals to the possibility of cherry picking some of the better players at the Stadium of Light. Jermain Defoe, Steven Fletcher, Sebastian Larsson and Jack Rodwell are some of those that could attract interest.
Sunderland take on an impressive looking Swansea this weekend looking for improvement, with Advocaat hoping a team-meeting in midweek has had the desired affect.
"After the game (against Norwich) we always have training and a meeting. This time it took a bit longer because the players could also say something," he said.
"During the week they had a meeting with only the players, but it's only positive.
"I understand a little bit the (media) comments and the articles, but normally the panic starts in March or April, but it seems to have started now and that's quite early."
Advocaat, who was drafted in at the end of last season and saved the club from relegation, added: "One thing that I can say, which is 100 per cent, is we will become a better team. There is no doubt about that.
"Maybe we need a little more time than others but you will see that we can only improve.
"Some teams maybe are already at the top, but we are not.
"That is an element that we have discussed. This team has to go to the edge, fighting-wise, spirit-wise and we did not do that.
"If you don't do that, the players miss a lot and they understand totally that we have to fight from the first minute to the last minute to get a result, but also to get our fans behind us.
"We will do that on Saturday, there is no doubt about that."
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