WILLEMSTAD - The appointment of Dick Advocaat as the head coach of the Curaçao national soccer team was initially delayed due to financial problems within the Curaçao Football Federation (FFK), primarily stemming from high debts and overdue payments to players. Advocaat revealed this in the Dutch talk show Veronica Offside.
The situation was so serious that Advocaat decided last year not to start working until the players were fully paid. "We said then: we won't step in until the players have received their money. They say it's all arranged," Advocaat stated in the talk show.
These financial issues led to several players leaving the national team. Advocaat specifically mentioned the names of Leandro Bacuna, Vurnon Anita, Brandley Kuwas, and Jurgen Locadia in the talk show, players he hopes to bring back to the national team.
In addition, he has plans to recruit new talents for the team, including Riechedly Bazoer from AZ, PSV players Armando Obispo and Shurandy Sambo, Tahith Chong from Luton Town, and Justin Kluivert from AFC Bournemouth.
Young talent like Sontje Hansen is also on his radar, although Advocaat is unsure if he is ready for a choice for Curaçao, considering the possibility of a future selection for the Dutch national team.
In the conversation with host Wilfred Genee, Advocaat emphasized that money did not play a role in his decision to become the head coach. "Normally, you get a certain amount, but now it's divided by four," he referred to sharing his compensation with colleagues Cor Pot, Kees Jansma, and Casper van Eijck.
His primary goal as head coach is ambitious: to qualify Curaçao for the 2026 World Cup. According to him, this journey could take one and a half years to two months, depending on the team's performance. "We're very excited about it," Advocaat concluded.