They also sold striker Connor Wickham to Crystal Palace for a reported nine million pounds, and Advocaat, whose club sit second from bottom in the table with one point from three games, said he needed to trim the squad further.
"We had a big past here and I know a little bit about the salary of players -- average players, lower than average players and that's crazy," the paper quoted the manager as saying.
"People who bought those kind of players for those transfer fees and gave them those salaries didn't care about the club," he added.
"And then I can understand our owner (Ellis Short) when he thinks 'I spent a fortune' and now where are they playing or not playing?" said the Dutchman, who became Sunderland's third manager in two years when he replaced Gus Poyet on March 17.
Uruguayan Poyet joined the club after Italian Paolo Di Canio's ill-fated reign that lasted just six months in 2013 but left when the Black Cats became embroiled in yet another relegation battle towards the end of last season.
"Supporters have to understand that before you can have a new start, you have to get rid," Advocaat said.
Sunderland, who travel to Aston Villa on Saturday, are still paying instalments on transfer fees for players who have either left the club or are still on the books but not part of the manager's plans, the Echo reported.
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru)
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