Dick Advocaat will become the oldest manager ever to coach at a World Cup after returning to manage the Curacao national team – three months after stepping down to care for his daughter.
The return of the 78-year-old Dutchman – who has managed at two previous World Cups, with the Netherlands in 1994 and South Korea in 2006 – was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday morning.
Advocaat had steered Curacao – an island in the Caribbean Sea that is home to around 155,000 people – to the first World Cup in their history in November. The vast majority of their squad were born in the Netherlands but have Curacaoan heritage, with a number having played for the Netherlands at youth level.
They qualified for the expanded 48-team tournament after topping a Concacaf group that consisted of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Bermuda.
In their final match, they drew 0-0 with Steve McClaren’s Jamaica to secure their spot, becoming the smallest nation to ever reach a World Cup.
However, three months later, Advocaat announced he was stepping down to look after his daughter, who is facing health issues.
He was replaced by fellow Dutchman, Fred Rutten.
In Rutten’s two games in charge, Curacao struggled, losing 2-0 to China and then 5-1 to Australia in their March friendlies.
Rutten resigned from his role on Monday. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Curacao football federation said he’d done so “to protect stability and healthy professional relationships within the squad and staff”. The federation praised his “professionalism, leadership, and commitment to Curacao football”.
In the same statement, Rutten said: “There must not be a climate that harms healthy professional relationships within the team or staff. That is why stepping down is the right decision. Time is pressing and Curaçao must move forward. I regret how things unfolded, but I wish everyone the best.”
At a press conference on Tuesday, Curacao federation president, Gilbert Martina then revealed Advocaat, who was popular with the players, was returning to lead the side. As reported by Reuters, Martina said the health of Advocaat’s daughter had improved.
Curacao are next in action against Scotland in a warm up fixture on May 30, at Hampden Park.
At this summer’s tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, they are in Group E, along with Germany, Ecuador and Ivory Coast. Their first match is against Germany in Houston on June 14.
In a statement made on Wednesday morning, the Curacao football federation said: “Following the decision of head coach Fred Rutten to make his position available, the board of Federashon Futbol Korsou has decided, during meetings held last night, to appoint Dick Advocaat as head coach of the Curacao national team.
“Discussions between FFK and Dick Advocaat regarding the further details of this appointment are currently ongoing.
“FFK is handling this process with due care, in accordance with existing agreements and the principles of good governance, with the aim of ensuring stability, clarity, and continuity around the national team.
“Further announcements will follow at a later time.”
