🚨 After players' protest: World Cup coach resigns | OneFootball

Fred Rutten had only taken over as head coach of the Curaçao national team a few months ago. Now, 31 days before the start of the tournament, he has announced his resignation. Also because the players had protested publicly. 

"I regret the situation that has arisen, but I wish everyone nothing but the best," he said. "A climate must not develop in which the professional relationship between players and staff is put at risk. Therefore, it is better for me to take a step back."

Rutten’s predecessor, Dick Advocaat, had stepped down in February because he wanted to care for his daughter, who had been suffering from health problems. Now that her condition has improved, the 78-year-old coach expressed his wish to return to Curaçao. The players shared that wish and made it clear at the start of the week during a video conference with the football association. In addition, financial backer Corendon announced that it would withdraw as main sponsor if Advocaat was not brought back.

At first, association president Gilbert Martina decided not to grant that request and to keep Rutten as national coach. “Decisions within the football association are based on more than just the wishes of players and sponsors,” Martina had previously told De Telegraaf.

Now, however, the football association has ultimately given in. This means that Advocaat will be on the sidelines for Curaçao’s group-stage matches at the World Cup – against Germany (14 June), Ecuador (21 June) and Ivory Coast (25 June).

The coach from The Hague had led Curaçao to a historic World Cup qualification in November. The island nation qualified for a World Cup finals as the smallest country ever (with a population of 156,000).

At 78, Advocaat will be the oldest national team coach ever to appear at a World Cup. The current record is held by Germany’s Otto Rehhagel, who was Greece’s national coach at the 2010 World Cup at the age of 72. Advocaat will also continue working for Feyenoord next week, after joining the club in mid-March as an adviser to coach Robin van Persie. Feyenoord have already secured second place – and with it a Champions League spot.

It is not yet known when Advocaat will announce his World Cup squad. Originally, Rutten had been scheduled to make the announcement this Tuesday.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 WILLIAM WEST - AFP or licensors