Beleaguered Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat has been offered unlikely support… from the man he faces in the dugout for the crunch match against West Ham.
Bilic’s high-flying Hammers visit the Stadium of Light for a crucial clash with Advocaat’s winless Mackems, who find themselves bottom of the Premier League after seven games.
The match is being billed as so important that it could well decide whether Advocaat stays or goes – the Daily Mail reporting the Dutchman will walk away if they lose to the Irons.
Bilic comes to town with his side buzzing after a fantastic start to the season. And the east Londoners boast a formidable away record that has seen them beat Arsenal 2-0, Liverpool 3-0 and Manchester City 2-1 in their three games on the road so far.
Sunderland know they must start winning
However, with the season almost a quarter of the way through, Sunderland know they must start winning sooner rather than later and West Ham at home will be a game earmarked for points.
As a result, all the pressure is on Advocaat and his men, a fact not lost on the man who will sit opposite him in the dugout on Saturday afternoon.
Bilic plays Devil’s Advocaat
Bilic has immense respect for his vastly experienced colleague and, writing in his weekly column in the London Evening Standard, backs him to turn things around in the North East.
“I know Dick Advocaat a little,” he wrote in the Evening Standard.
“We met at one or two seminars when I was in charge of the Croatian national team and he was manager of Russia.
“Those meetings are good because you are with top coaches for a couple of days.
“You could see then how well respected he was. We also played a friendly against Belgium when he was manager there. He also won the UEFA Cup with Zenit St Petersburg in 2008.
“Yes, there is still a long way to go and the media can make your problem bigger, but Sunderland have to start winning. As much as I respect Dick, I have to try and make his position worse.”
Can things really get any worse for the Mackems?
How much worse things can get for Advocaat is open to debate.
His side are without a win and have just two draws to their name so far this season, with a -10 goal difference to boot already.
Despite having the likes of former Hammers striker Jermain Defoe in their ranks, the Mackems have struggled to turn some of their better performances into wins.
Advocaat knows that must change, starting on Saturday, if his side are to avoid being cut adrift in the relegation zone.
But if the hosts can get that all-important win, it could well change the complexion of their entire season with the spotlight sure to shift elsewhere, perhaps even their fiercest rivals who face Manchester City at St James’ Park.
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