For Cor Pot, Dick Advocaat’s loyal assistant in recent years, the news “still has to sink in,” he told reporters on Monday evening. NRC. The news – Monday as first reported by it A.D – is that Advocaat will still go to the World Cup as national coach of Curaçao.
“Dick will call me right away,” says Pot. “I haven’t made a decision yet.” He will have knee surgery on July 15, around the semi-finals of the World Cup. “That’s quite a problem, so I’ll have to see if I can come along.”
Although there isn’t much time. The preparation of the Curaçao national team starts on May 25 in Huis ter Duin in Noordwijk. And on that day the World Cup selection must also be completed. Lawyer was forced to quit as national coach in February due to his daughter’s health problems. Fred Rutten, former coach of PSV and Feyenoord, among others, succeeded him.
It was announced on Monday that Rutten had resigned under great pressure. After a difficult practice period in March, when Curaçao lost to China (2-0) and Australia (5-1) in Sydney and Melbourne, part of the selection wanted Advocaat to return as national coach. Travel agency Corendon, main sponsor of the Curaçao team, also insisted on this. Lawyer would also be open to this, because his daughter’s health situation is now more stable.
But the board of the National Football Association of Curaçao, led by chairman Gilbert Martina, stuck with the choice of Rutten. The pressure has increased further in recent days. Corendon founder Atilay Uslu announced that he will end sponsorship after the World Cup reported the Antillean newspaper Extra. This is due to the disappointment with the association’s decision not to bring Advocaat back.
Rutten was supposed to present the World Cup selection in Willemstad on Tuesday – but on Monday he decided to withdraw. “A climate should not be created that detracts from healthy professional relationships, in both the playing group and the staff,” he says in a press release of the association. “That is why it is wise to resign.” He regrets the turn of events.
‘I am very touched’
In a comment in it Antillean Dagblad The change of national coach was already hinted at last weekend. It is “now or never” for the Curaçao team, the newspaper wrote. “Everyone knows that, including Martina, also Rutten and of course Advocaat, for whom the players will go through fire.”
Curaçao qualified for the first time in November for the World Cup, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With 156,000 inhabitants, it is also the smallest participant ever. With Advocaat (78), it will also have the oldest national coach in the history of the tournament.
Reports in other media about his impending return will be reversed on Monday evening NRC confirmed by, among others, Cor Pot, former team doctor Casper van Eijck and former press secretary Kees Jansma. Advocaat is expected to be presented in Willemstad on Tuesday at 4 p.m. Dutch time.
The Curaçao Football Association will therefore provide an explanation of the latest developments. The World Cup selection has not yet been announced. The team will play in the group stage against Germany (June 14), Ecuador (June 21) and Ivory Coast (June 25).
With Rutten, even more people from the staff are leaving. Press officer Jansma resigned on Monday. “I am very touched by this situation with Rutten,” he says.
Jansma: “I do not choose one trainer or another, I choose against the course of events. I find it unjust and unacceptable what has happened in recent days regarding the position of the national coach. The interests of the sponsor apparently weighed heavily in the final decision. That seems very incorrect to me.” Arno van Zwam, specialist in standard situations, says when asked that he is also quitting.
A strongly renewed staff must now be set up in a short time. Surgeon Casper van Eijck, affiliated with Erasmus MC, was the team doctor of Curaçao in the first period under Advocaat. He says that Advocaat asked him if he wanted to return. Van Eijck had to thank him, he already has other appointments in the coming period.
NRC approached both Rutten and Advocaat, but neither responded on Monday evening.
