Former Rangers boss lands new role alongside ex-Manchester United man just 24 days after resigning from post
Veteran head coach returns to homeland in new role
Former Rangers manager Dick Advocaat has returned to the game just 23 days after leaving his role as head coach of Curacao.
Advocaat, 78, who won two league titles during his time with Ibrox, confirmed his decision to resign from the role as The Blue Wave boss in order to focus on his daughter’s health issues in February after leading them to their first World Cup last year, with Fred Rutten appointed as his successor.
The veteran head coach has made a swift return to the game. He has been appointed to an advisory role at his former club, Feyenoord. Advocaat previously managed the club between 2019 and 2021. Now, he rejoins the De Kuip outfit to support under-fire head coach Robin van Persie until the end of the campaign.
Currently in second place in the Eredivisie, the Rotterdam-based side trail league leaders PSV Eindhoven by 16 points, and recent poor results have saw section of the support call for van Persie’s dismissal with chants, while the former Arsenal and Manchester United forward was seen jumping over advertising boards in order to approach frustrated fans after 3-2 home defeat Heerenveen in the KNVB Cup in December.
"I would like to help Feyenoord, and Robin van Persie in particular, to finish this season well," Advocaat told the club’s official website. "I have known Robin for almost 20 years and our bond has always been good. When I was manager here, as a former top striker, he wanted to share his knowledge with the attackers we had at Feyenoord. And now I can support him in turn. I am happy to do so.
The move follows a similar appointment to the one Advocaat took in 2016, when he assisted former Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst following a series of poor results in the Dutch top flight. After helping improve results upon his arrival, Feyenoord found its feet and went on to win the KNVB Cup under the tutelage of the duo.
“Naturally, as club management, especially in the last few days, we have spoken extensively about how we can help the team and the staff in this important phase of the competition,” said Feyenoord director Dennis te Kloese. “The first time I mentioned Dick Advocaat's name to Robin, he reacted immediately with great enthusiasm. I noticed the same enthusiasm during my first conversation with Advocaat, so this week it quickly became clear what was needed.”
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