Veteran coach Dick Advocaat is set to return for a third stint in charge of the Dutch national side, with Ruud Gullit as his assistant, De Telegraaf newspaper reported on Thursday.
The 69-year-old, currently at Turkish club Fenerbahce, would take over from Danny Blind, who was sacked last month after a 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria that left the team’s chances of reaching the World Cup finals hanging by the slenderest of threads.
De Telegraaf said only a few details remain to be ironed out in the deal. Advocaat is under contract at Fenerbahce until June 1 but should be released in time for a friendly against Morocco on May 31.
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The Netherlands, three-time World Cup runners-up, have endured a torrid time in recent years, failing to qualify for euro 2016 in France and now facing the prospect of missing next year’s World Cup in Russia.
The defeat in Sofia left the side fourth in qualifying group A, trailing six points behind leaders France.
Dutch fans will be hoping Advocaat — who previously managed the national side from 1992 to 1994 and 2002 to 2004 — can draw on his immense experience to pull off a near-miraculous comeback.
* Agence France-Presse
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