Firm criticism of Dick Advocaat: 'It had more to do with homesickness'

After weeks of discussions, former PSV coach Dick Advocaat returned as head coach of Curaçao and replaced his successor, Fred Rutten, also a former PSV coach, who was born in The Hague. As a result, Advocaat will travel with the island to the upcoming World Cup, where Curaçao will make its debut at the global finals.

The way one former PSV coach replaced the other has gone down badly with analyst Johan Derksen. Derksen also believes that the journalists played a dubious role in the dispute surrounding Curaçao’s national team coaching position.

This says De Snor Tuesday evening on Vandaag Inside in Curaçao. ''We made big journalistic mistakes by supporting him, without having any arguments. We did it only because we like him. That was wrong'', the analyst begins.

Nevertheless, Derksen is of the opinion that Advocaat showed his worst side during a press conference. ''Now there has been a press conference, and of course people are asked about that affair. Then he wants to brush it off by saying: I no longer look back, I only look ahead. But Dick Advocaat has seriously damaged Fred Rutten with his David-style behavior'', the bearded analyst says firmly.

Then Derksen continues with his criticism and he returns to the fact that Advocaat initially distanced himself from the national team coaching job because of family circumstances. ''Advocaat has let that team down twice. The urgency was always put down to serious family circumstances. I have heard from well-informed sources that it wasn’t that bad. It had more to do with homesickness than with tragic family circumstances. And once he’s calmed down again then he wants to join in once more, and he goes home and starts trying to influence people. Public opinion then turns, and they go and chase Fred away. And Dick doesn’t want to give any explanation. I think he has behaved scandalously!'', concludes De Snor.

Derksen is therefore also very disappointed in the way Advocaat has acted towards Rutten. ''Of course, the chairman and everyone got involved. But Dick is the man who is responsible! He has run away twice and Fred has taken over. Then you have to accept that and not start meddling behind the scenes, so that Fred is sent packing and he gets his way. This really disappoints me a lot about Dick Advocaat'', continues the analyst.

Only Kees Jansma, former press chief of Orange and Curaçao, still receives support from De Snor. ''The only one who has behaved properly is Jansma, because if you treat people like that, then you don't want to have anything to do with them'', said Derksen.