Sunderland gaffer Dick Advocaat: 'Every player is for sale'

Sunderland is in crisis mode after a torrid start to the 2015-16 Premier League season.

The Black Cats are suffering as of late, after dropping its first game 4-2 to Leicester and then following it up with a 3-1 loss to Norwich. Manager Dick Advocaat has been tipped to be the first gaffer shown the door this season and the Dutchman declared that sweeping changes may be coming soon if the team can't reverse its miserable fortunes against Swansea City on Saturday.

"Every player is for sale," Advocaat told reporters Friday. "If the player wants to go, he can go."

Following the loss to Norwich, Advocaat opened the dialogue for discussion, holding an emergency team meeting. He revealed those talks continued on in the days that followed, too.

"After the game we always have training and a meeting," Advocaat explained. "This time it took a bit longer because the players could also say something. During the week they had a meeting with only the players, but it's only positive."

Despite those baby steps, there is still plenty of cynicism directed at Sunderland in the media. The Black Cats barely survived relegation last season and, having taken no points and conceded seven goals in its first two games of the season, the club is already trying to right a ship that might be teetering over.

"I understand a little bit the (media) comments and the articles, but normally the panic starts in March or April," Advocaat said. "It seems to have started now and that's quite early."

Advocaat is under a lot of pressure to get a result, but the Dutch manager firmly believes his team can turn its fortunes around before the situation becomes dire.

"One thing that I can say, which is 100 percent, is we will become a better team," Advocaat said. "There is no doubt about that. Some teams maybe are already at the top, but we are not. Maybe we need a little more time than others but you will see that we can only improve."

How Advocaat improves his side is the question, though. Having taken over at Sunderland just a few months ago, he already faces quite a challenge. Tactically, Advocaat is trying to implement a 4-3-3 but his blueprint plans won't work unless his team is ready to step up and try for it.

"This team has to go to the edge, fighting-wise, spirit-wise and we did not do that," Advocaat said. "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."