LONDON: Dick Advocaat has stepped down as manager of Premier League Sunderland after less than seven months in the job, the club said in a statement on Sunday.
The 68-year-old took over from Uruguayan Gus Poyet in March and although he saved them from relegation last season, Sunderland have failed to win in eight games this season and are one from bottom in the table.
Sunderland said the Dutchman had left the Stadium of Light with immediate effect and assistant head coach Zeljko Petrovic had also departed.
"I feel it is the right time to do this -- not for me, but for the club," Advocaat told the Sunderland website (www.safc.com)
"I have made the decision to go after only eight games as I felt it was important to give everyone time to turn things around -- like we did last year
"I have some wonderful memories to take with me and I hope I will return to see everybody again in the future."
Sunderland's American owner Ellis Short said he was saddened and the club needed to "regroup quickly and focus on the rest of the season".
"He was hugely respectful of the club in taking this decision and he acted 100 percent in our best interests," said Short. "It is also testament to his character that he has forgone any kind of a financial settlement, something which is very unusual in football."
Advocaat had intended to retire at the end of last season but changed his mind and stayed on.
For the third season running, however, Sunderland failed to win any of their opening six league matches and Saturday's 2-2 draw with West Ham United extended that run to eight matches. They have not won since a victory at Everton last May.
The manager had hinted strongly at his intentions on Saturday when he refused to confirm he was staying at the club after the West Ham game.
Sunderland had led 2-0 before having their second goalscorer Jeremain Lens sent off in the second half and allowing the Hammers to walk away with a point.
The decision to step down almost certainly spells retirement for Advocaat, who moved into coaching after a low-key playing career as a midfielder spent mainly in the Netherlands.
Appointed assistant to Dutch national coach Rinus Michels in 1984, he became head coach and took the Netherlands to the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 1994 before returning to club coaching with PSV Eindhoven in 1995.
He won his first trophy, the Dutch Cup, a year later, before adding the Dutch Championship in 1997.
Advocaat led Rangers to a Scottish treble in 1999 before leaving in 2002 to follow a nomadic career as both a national and club manager which included the distinction of becoming the first foreign coach to win the Russian Premier League title with Zenit St Petersburg in 2007.
He guided Zenit to victory in the 2008 UEFA Cup final against his old club Rangers to become the first foreigner to be made an Honorary Citizen of St Petersburg since 1866.
Advocaat steps down as Sunderland manager
Advocaat steps down as Sunderland manager
E1 World Championship opens 2026 season in Jeddah with expanded field, growing global profile
- Season’s opener features record 10 teams
JEDDAH: The 2026 UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF will launch its new season in Jeddah, with the Red Sea city once again hosting the world’s first all-electric raceboat series, and champions Team Brady beginning their title defense against an expanded and competitive field.
Set against Jeddah’s Red Sea coastline, the season-opening E1 Jeddah GP 2026, which takes place over Jan. 23-24, will feature a record 10 teams racing the cutting-edge E1 RaceBirds, underlining the rapid growth of the championship and its ambitions as a global competition spanning four continents.
Team Brady are the outfit to beat, having claimed the Champions of the Water title in 2024 and 2025. However, competition is expected to be fiercer than ever, with several teams strengthening their lineups ahead of the new campaign.
Team Monaco and Sierra Racing Club join the championship for 2026, adding further depth to the grid with a mix of experienced and emerging pilots. Team Rafa, who finished just 11 points behind Team Brady last season after a title fight that went down to the final laps, are widely regarded as one of the leading contenders and will be aiming to make an early statement in Jeddah.
Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James also return to race on home waters, one year on from their E1 debut. Carrying local pride, the team will be looking to build on last season’s momentum in front of Saudi fans.
The world-class field is further strengthened by a roster of high-profile, celebrity-backed teams, including Will Smith’s Team Westbrook, DJ Steve Aoki’s Team Aoki, Team Drogba, led by football legend Didier Drogba and his partner Gabrielle Lemaire, and Team Miami, featuring Grammy Award-winning artist Marc Anthony.
Fans will be able to get close to the action across qualifying and race day, with on-water viewing available from the E1 Fan Zone. The area will give visitors the chance to see the E1 RaceBirds up close and will feature a gaming arena with simulator and virtual reality experiences, as well as a VOX cinema screening of “Zootopia 2.” Merchandise outlets and a range of food and beverage options will also be available, creating a family-friendly race-day experience.
Beyond the racing, E1’s return to Saudi Arabia reflects the Kingdom’s growing role in shaping the future of electric sport and sustainable mobility. The championship serves as a living laboratory for electric propulsion systems, accelerating innovation that can influence marine transport while also supporting broader conversations around ocean protection.
As part of its partnership with E1, Formula E’s Driving Force Presented by PIF E360 is hosting its educational program in Jeddah this week. The initiative aims to inspire students aged 8 to 18 to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as sustainability, through the lens of electric racing.
The program reached more than 60,000 students globally in 2025 alone, with a further 50,000 targeted this year, taking its reach to over 100,000 young people worldwide.
On the sporting side, PIF’s commitment to excellence will again be recognized through the PIF Pilot of the Day award, presented after finals day to honor standout skill and performance over the race weekend.
Alejandro Agag, founder and chairman of E1, said: “Starting our 2026 season in Jeddah is a powerful statement for E1. The region represents ambition, innovation and a clear vision for the future, and the Red Sea provides the perfect environment as our largest grid yet of 10 teams begin their battle to be crowned 2026 Champions of the Water.”
The Jeddah race is set to deliver high-intensity competition, renewed rivalries and an early glimpse into the future of high-performance racing on water.
