Dutch club Feyenoord have hired Dick Advocaat as their new technical advisor.

The 68-year-old, who left Sunderland in October, has been brought in by the Rotterdam outfit to try and arrest a run of seven successive defeats.

Feyenoord have fallen 20 points behind Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven after sitting just two in arrears of Ajax who topped the table in mid-December.

Former AZ Alkmaar and PSV boss Advocaat has agreed to step into the role to assist manger Giovanni van Bronckhorst who replaced Fred Rutten in the summer.

"I'm doing it primarily because I have a bond with Giovanni," Advocaat said.

Feyenoord added in a statement: "Advocaat will exercise his functions as advisor in the background. He will observe training and matches and hold discussions but will not sit on the bench."