The chance to become the oldest coach ever to coach in the history of the World Cup proved not enough to convince Dick Advocaat to stay on in his role as head coach of Curacao following his resignation from the position reportedly over his daughter’s poor health.
The 78 year old made history as the man to qualify the island nation to the World Cup for the first time and was expected to lead the Caribbean nation at this year’s World Cup.
Curacao has been drawn in Group C with Haiti, Brazil and Morocco.
Advocaat has since been replaced as head coach by Fred Rutten who has coached at FC Twente, PSV, Feyenoord and German Bundesliga side Schalke 04.
In Curacao’s draw with Jamaica that sealed the country of 15,000 people’s place in the World Cup last year, Advocaat wasn’t present as he had to attend to a family issue in connection to his daughter’s health issues.
“I’ve always said family is above football so this is a self-evident decision but…that doesn’t change the fact that I’m going to miss Curacao, the people there and my colleagues very much” Advocaat said according to the BBC.
