WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao national team coach Dick Advocaat says he no longer wants to discuss the controversy surrounding his return as head coach and is instead fully focused on preparing the island’s historic World Cup campaign.
“There has been enough said and written in recent days, now we have to play football,” the 78-year-old coach said Monday during a Zoom press conference in which he also announced Curaçao’s final World Cup squad.
The past week turned into a major sporting and administrative controversy after Fred Rutten unexpectedly stepped down as national team coach only months after being appointed as Advocaat’s successor.
Advocaat had originally resigned in February due to the serious illness of his daughter. However, following pressure from players and main sponsor Corendon, the veteran Dutch coach agreed to return to lead Curaçao at the World Cup.
The chaotic developments also resulted in the departure of press officer Kees Jansma, who described the situation as “unacceptable.” Advocaat declined to comment further on the internal turmoil.
“I leave the talk sessions to the media,” he said.
The coach did, however, praise Jansma’s replacement Vincent Schildkamp, calling him “one of the best football journalists in the Netherlands.”
Advocaat said his attention is now fully directed toward Curaçao’s preparations for the World Cup, where the island will make its historic debut later this year after qualifying for the first time ever.
According to the coach, selecting the squad this time “was not difficult,” as most of the core group remained intact.
Before the tournament begins, Curaçao will play friendly matches against Scotland and Aruba. The team will then face a difficult group-stage schedule against Germany, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast.
Curaçao’s qualification has already made international football history, as the island becomes the smallest country ever to participate in a FIFA World Cup.
Advocaat himself is also set to break a record, becoming the oldest head coach ever to lead a national team at a World Cup at the age of 78.