Sunderland captain John O'Shea has revealed that he is delighted with Dick Advocaat's decision to manage the club next season.
The Dutchman declared that he would not be staying with the Black Cats after successfully guiding them to safety in his nine games in charge at the Stadium of Light.
However, Advocaat reversed his decision and will remain as the club's boss for the 2015-16 campaign, much to the delight of O'Shea and his teammates.
He told the club's official website: "The boss came in last season and lifted everybody at the club – players, staff and fans. He got the best out of everybody, giving the team the confidence and belief that we could stay in the top flight.
"He brought a lot of experience and knowledge to the club. His CV speaks for itself and he has achieved so much in football so it's great that he is at Sunderland. He knows the club, what is needed and how we can push onto the next level.
"The fans love him too so I'm sure it will be a season that we can all look forward to. We all know there is a lot of work to be done over the summer and with new faces added during pre-season we can all push on together. This is a positive time for everybody associated with Sunderland."
Sunderland took 12 points from Advocaat's nine games in charge after he replaced Gus Poyet in March.