Dick Advocaat has signed a new one-year deal to become Sunderland's head coach after performing a sensational U-turn.
The 67-year-old Dutchman, who had turned down owner Ellis Short's offer of an extended stay at the Stadium of Light in the wake of his successful Barclays Premier League survival mission, has belatedly given the Texan and sporting director Lee Congerton the answer they wanted all along after a re-think.
Advocaat said: "After a lot of discussions with Ellis and Lee, they convinced me that I am the right man for the club.
"It was a great feeling to be part of Sunderland in the last few months.
"The experience was something very special and after talking with Lee, Ellis and of course my family, we all agree it is the right decision."
Advocaat was initially drafted in by the Black Cats in March with just nine games of the season remaining after they decided to dispense with the services of Gus Poyet.
He endeared himself to the red and white faithful almost immediately with a 1-0 derby victory over Newcastle in his second match in charge, and went on to claim 12 points from a possible 27, eventually securing safety with a game to spare following a 0-0 draw at Arsenal.
A deal for the former Holland boss to stay was put on the table before the final-day defeat at Chelsea, but having promised his wife his brief time on Wearside would be his last job as a club manager, he initially opted to walk away.
"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" - John O'Shea
However, Short refused to take no for an answer and having promised to commit substantial funds towards yet another rebuilding mission, Advocaat simply could not resist the temptation to return.
Short and Congerton had considered a series of other candidates to fill the position with Burnley's Sean Dyche having been installed as the bookmakers' favourite in the last few days.
However, their search is now over, for the time being at least, and they can concentrate on the task of reshaping a squad which has shown commendable battling qualities at the end of the last two campaigns, but proved deficient in other respects.
Advocaat's decision went down well with captain John O'Shea, who is currently on international duty with the Republic of Ireland.
He told the club's official website, www.safc.com: "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 SAFC."
