NOORDWIJK – Curaçao Football Federation President Gilbert Martina has acknowledged that the intense criticism surrounding the replacement of head coach Fred Rutten with Dick Advocaat shortly before the FIFA World Cup affected him personally.
Speaking in Noordwijk during the national team's preparations for the tournament, Martina said the controversy surrounding the coaching change had been difficult to endure.
“I was affected by it. Everything that was said and written about the situation did impact me,” Martina admitted, adding that he is relieved that calm has now returned as the team focuses on the World Cup.
Despite the criticism, Martina expressed confidence in Advocaat's appointment and believes the veteran coach is well positioned to guide the national team during its historic World Cup campaign.
“The most important thing now is that we have a good coach who will prepare the team properly,” Martina said. “Dick has an excellent relationship with the players, which is very good for the chemistry within the squad.”
At the same time, the federation president emphasized that he still holds former coach Rutten in high regard.
“Personally, I think Fred Rutten would also have done a very good job if he had remained with the team,” he added.
The coaching change generated considerable debate among supporters and football observers after Rutten, who helped guide Curaçao through a successful qualification campaign, was replaced just before the start of the World Cup.
During a press conference at Hotel Huis ter Duin, Advocaat publicly praised Martina for his role in transforming Curaçao’s football ambitions into reality.
“We should be very grateful to the president,” Advocaat said. “At the beginning there was nothing. Together with his friends and sponsors, he made all of this possible.”
Martina, however, was quick to share the credit.
According to the federation president, Curaçao’s rise on the international football stage is the result of decades of work by multiple administrators and supporters.
“This project began 25 years ago with the first federation president, Mr. Francisca,” Martina said. “All the presidents who came before me contributed to this journey. I certainly do not want to take all the credit myself.”
The national team, known as “The Blue Wave,” has been training at the SJC sports complex in Noordwijk ahead of the tournament. The squad has attracted significant attention from supporters, with thousands of fans reportedly attending the team's final training session before departure.
Following the session, players spent time signing autographs and interacting with young supporters and football fans eager to show their support.
Martina said the team still has a busy schedule ahead before traveling to the United States for the World Cup.
The squad is scheduled to play a friendly match in Scotland before returning to Curaçao for a farewell match against Aruba. After that, the team will head to the United States, where its World Cup campaign will begin with a highly anticipated match against Germany in Houston.
According to Martina, thousands of Curaçao supporters are expected to travel to the United States to support the team.
“We expect between 4,000 and 5,000 supporters in total, roughly 1,500 for each match. That is fantastic,” he said.
Advocaat also praised the enthusiasm surrounding the national team, both on the island and among the Curaçaoan and Caribbean communities in the Netherlands.
“The passion of the people on the island is incredible,” the coach said. “The joy after the match against Jamaica when we returned home was something special. The happiness of the people is contagious. Sometimes we can learn from that.”
As Curaçao prepares for its biggest challenge in football history, both Martina and Advocaat say the focus is now firmly on the tournament itself, with hopes that the excitement surrounding The Blue Wave can translate into success on the world stage.