Ex-Rangers boss Dick Advocaat set to be new Netherlands boss
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The former Rangers and Sunderland boss, who turns 70 in September, would become his country’s oldest ever national coach. He would usurp Guus Hiddink, who was 68 when he left the hot-seat in June 2015.
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Hide AdHiddink’s successor Danny Blind, who was unable to lead the team to Euro 2016, was sacked in March this year in the wake of their World Cup qualifying loss to Bulgaria.
The Oranje have suffered two defeats in their opening five Group A games and sit fourth in the pool, already six points behind leaders France and three behind second-placed Sweden.
Reports in Holland suggest the appointment of the well-travelled 69-year-old, who is currently employed at Turkish club Fenerbahce, will be confirmed as soon as the paperwork has been completed.
Dutch Football Association (KNVB) technical director Hans van Breukelen will speak about the situation on Wednesday, according to De Telegraaf.
Advocaat has had two previous stints as national boss, from 1992-1994 and 2002-2004, and three as assistant, including most recently last year. Only Rinus Michels has had so many spells in charge.
Former captain Ruud Gullit looks set to be named Advocaat’s number two. The 54-year-old won the last five of his 66 caps towards the end of Advocaat’s first tenure, before a dispute over tactics in the build-up to the 1994 World Cup signalled the end of Gullit’s international career.
Advocaat led Holland to the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup in the United States, where they lost to Brazil, and to the semi-finals at Euro 2004, at which they were knocked out by hosts Portugal.
As well as an impressive CV in European club football, and his Holland roles, Advocaat has managed the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Belgium, Russia and Serbia.