Curacao will have a new head coach for their World Cup warm-up friendly against Scotland on 30 May, following Dick Advocaat’s stand-down for personal reasons.
The former Rangers manager had led the Caribbean island’s team to the finals for the first time, but will be replaced by fellow Dutchman Fred Rutten.
At 78, Advocaat would have become the oldest coach in World Cup finals history.
He had described leading the 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.
But Dutch media reported on Monday that he had stood down due to his daughter’s health.
“I’ve always said family is above football,” he said. “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, who also managed the Netherlands, Belgium, South Korea, PSV Eindhoven and Sunderland, spent two years as Curacao head coach.
Unbeaten over six games, they reached their first finals by topping their CONCACAF qualifying group ahead of Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Bermuda.
Steve Clarke’s Scots entertain Japan and the Ivory Coast in March friendlies before Curacao visits Hampden for their final warm-up match before the summer finals in the Americas.
By then, the islanders will be led by 63-year-old former Netherlands defender Rutten, who has managed PSV Eindhoven, Anderlecht and Feyenoord.
He had most recently returned to PSV as assistant to Ruud van Nistelrooy and had a spell as caretaker after his fellow Dutchman’s departure in 2023.
Rutten’s side begins their World Cup campaign with a Group E match against Germany in Houston on 14 June and also face the Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
The Scots begin their campaign against Haiti the previous day, with Brazil and Morocco the other sides in Group C.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com