Coach Dick Advocaat, who led Curacao to their first World Cup qualification, will not be in charge of the team at this year’s tournament after resigning for personal reasons, Dutch media reported on Monday.
The reports said the former Netherlands, Belgium, South Korea, PSV Eindhoven, Sunderland and Rangers manager had stood down because of his daughter’s health.
“I’ve always said family is above football. So this is a self-evident decision. But of course that doesn’t change the fact that I’m going to miss Curacao, the people there and my colleagues very much,” Advocaat said .
Advocaat, who spent two years as Curacao coach, will be replaced by fellow Dutchman Fred Rutten.
The 78-year-old Advocaat described leading the Caribbean island with a population of around 150,000 to the World Cup as the “craziest thing” he had achieved in a managerial career spanning nearly four decades.
He would have become the oldest coach in World Cup finals history.
Rutten, a former Netherlands defender, has managed PSV, Anderlecht and Feyenoord.
Curacao begin their World Cup campaign with a Group E match against Germany in Houston on June 14.
