Former Sunderland defender Micky Gray does not believe that Dick Advocaat is responsible for the Black Cats' terrible start to the season.

Following a torrid start to the new campaign, Advocaat resigned from his post as Sunderland manager on the weekend and it goes without saying that the man to replace the Dutchman will have a difficult time to pick up the pieces.

However, former full-back Gray does not believe that Advocaat should be blamed for the Wearside club's poor start, instead slamming the current Black Cats players.

Gray said on talkSPORT: "When was the last time, and this is not just at Sunderland, you heard a player come out and say, 'you know what, it's not the manager, it's us. We're the ones who have got to look at ourselves because we're not performing on a weekly basis'.

"Dick Advocaat has walked away without taking a penny. He could have taken the rest of his contract, or stayed until he got the sack and got paid up. But he's walked away. Granted at the end of last season he got about £1million [for keeping Sunderland up], that was the figure that was being bandied about, but he deserved that.

"You've got to start pointing the finger at players. Some of the players who got the first manager [in that list above] the sack are still there. They are still playing.

"Now, doesn't a new manager come in and go, 'hang on a minute, he's got the last four managers sacked with the performances he's been putting in'. Why are they still there? Why are these players still playing at my football club, still under-performing, but still getting picked on a weekly basis."