Advocaat quits as Holland manager

DICK ADVOCAAT has quit as coach of the Dutch national soccer team, a week after leading Holland to the semi-finals of the European Championships.

He becomes the fifth coach to resign or be dismissed since the start of Euro 2004, which ended with Greece’s 1-0 victory over Portugal.

“Despite reaching the semi-finals at Euro 2004, Advocaat feels that there is insufficient basis to serve out his contract, which runs through the 2006 World Cup,” the Dutch soccer federation said.

The federation said it was considering assistant coach Willem van Hanegem, a member of Holland’s 1974 World Cup team, as a possible replacement.

Holland lost 2-1 to host nation Portugal in the semis. Advocaat was harshly criticised by the Dutch media as his team struggled throughout qualification and the early stages of the tournament, and he hinted he might resign afterward.

“It went too far,” he said, referring to the criticism. “Some of the rules I grew up with were broken and I have a problem with that.”

Other Euro 2004 coaches who resigned or were fired were: Rudi Voeller of Germany, Giovanni Trapattoni of Italy, Inaki Saez of Spain and Plamen Markov of Bulgaria.

Advocaat coached the Dutch through 55 games, more than any other coach after World War II, and had a record of 31-11-13.

He coached the Dutch in the 1994 World Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals before losing to Brazil.