Stephen Halliday: Rangers need to be wary of wily fox Dick Advocaat
When Steven Gerrard shakes hands with Dick Advocaat on the touchline at the De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam on 28 November, he will come face to face with a man who represents the kind of past glories Rangers fans are desperate to see restored.
The managerial indefatigability of 72-year-old Advocaat has seen him accept the 24th job of his coaching career, replacing the sacked Jaap Stam at Feyenoord for the rest of the season. It adds an extra layer of intrigue to what already promises to be a pivotal Europa League Group G fixture between the veteran Dutchman’s new club and the one he led to five major honours during his Ibrox tenure two decades ago.
The last time Advocaat crossed swords with Rangers, he denied them Uefa Cup final success in 2008 when in charge of Zenit St Petersburg. The wily old fox could yet thrown a spanner in the works of their current European hopes.