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Advocaat: ‘Family plan’ key as Curaçao chase last-16 spot
Curaçao head coach Dick Advocaat admits his softer approach with the national team marks a stark contrast to his past reputation. Speaking in Boca Raton, Florida, the 78-year-old reflected on leading the tiny Caribbean side to the World Cup, calling it the ‘most beautiful achievement’ of his career.
Advocaat, who guided Zenit Saint Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory in 2008 alongside Andrej Arsjavin, said the current project with Curaçao is ‘incredible’ given the country’s financial and structural challenges. He highlighted the roles of President Gilbert Martina and travel firm Corendon CEO Atilay Uslu in restoring the federation’s stability.
The Dutch coach revealed he set financial viability as a non-negotiable condition before accepting the role. ‘If the finances are in order, then I’ll do it,’ he stated. ‘The dream of reaching the World Cup is huge for such a small island. We are a village compared to Germany.’
He dismissed suggestions he took the job for a relaxed retirement, noting Curaçao fans immediately saw through any attempt to treat the role as a holiday. ‘I never wore shorts in Curaçao. I made it clear I was there to deliver something real,’ he said.
Advocaat acknowledged a shift in his management style, crediting assistant Cor Pot with the observation that he now tolerates behaviours he once would have punished. ‘I allow things now I never allowed before,’ he said. ‘If something annoyed me in the past, I’d say so immediately. Now I let some things slide.’
He cited allowing family members to stay at the team hotel as an example of his changed approach. ‘These players are millionaires, but they’re experiencing something unique. Their families can be part of it now—something I wouldn’t have allowed before.’
The 78-year-old admitted his softer touch stems from realism about Curaçao’s World Cup prospects. ‘I know Curaçao won’t win the World Cup. So I focus on other things, like the ‘family plan’,’ he said. ‘We left Curaçao with a 4-0 win over Aruba. The joy, the dancing, the waving—I’ve never experienced anything like it.’
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He recalled being moved to tears during the anthem before the 1-1 draw with Germany, attributing it to age but acknowledging a lifelong tendency to emotional reactions. ‘I can get emotional quickly,’ he said. Advocaat pushed back on his ‘Kleine Generaal’ reputation, sharing an anecdote about Rinus Michels at the 1994 World Cup. ‘Michels grabbed my arm and said, ‘Dick, are you trying to ignore me?’ I’ll never forget that,’ he said, calling shyness a sign of strength rather than weakness. He defended his public support for sacked Feyenoord assistant Robin van Persie, arguing a technical director’s role is less critical than a head coach’s. ‘They told him he could leave without an evaluation. I spoke out because I think honesty matters,’ he said. The Dutchman also revealed he still uses training drills from his Sparta days under Barry Hughes, now 40 years old. ‘Not everything from the past is nonsense,’ he said. ‘We’re fit, we have no injuries, and that’s no coincidence.’ After the 7-1 loss to Ecuador, Curaçao held Ecuador to a 0-0 draw. ‘They deserved that point,’ Advocaat said. ‘The keeper was outstanding, and things went our way.’ He reiterated his enjoyment of the World Cup stage, contrasting it with the isolation of early elimination. ‘A World Cup is special. You go from 80,000 in the stadium to sitting alone in the garden the next day,’ he said. With qualification for the knockout phase still mathematically possible, Advocaat stressed realism. ‘It’s not normal for us to win matches, but it’s possible,’ he said. ‘Ivoorkust were very strong against Ecuador and Germany.’ He closed by joking about his future plans, saying he’d call former Zenit star Andrej Arsjavin back before making any decisions about his own next steps.