Advocaat quits Curacao due to daughter's health

Dick Advocaat has resigned from his role as Curacao head coach due to his daughter's health issues.

The veteran Dutchman, 78, led the tiny island nation to qualifying for this summer's World Cup but they will now play without him.

"I've always said that family comes before football," Advocaat said.

"This is therefore a natural decision. But that doesn't change the fact that I will miss Curacao, the people there, and my colleagues very much.

"I consider qualifying the smallest country in the world for the World Cup one of the highlights of my career. I'm proud of my players, staff, and the board members who believed in us."

- Curacao become smallest-ever nation to qualify for World Cup

Gilbert Martina, chairman of the Curacao Football Association, said: "His decision can only be respected. Dick made history with the national football team. Curacao will always be grateful to Dick."

Advocaat's right-hand man Cor Pot and the team doctor Casper van Eyck have supported him by also stepping away from their roles. The rest of the coaching staff will remain.

Fred Rutten has been named as Advocaat's replacement.

Fellow Dutchman Rutten spent his entire playing career with FC Twente but is a veteran manager. He has led Twente, Schalke, PSV Eindhoven, Vitesse, Feyenoord and Anderlecht.

Rutten will inherit a team who incredibly set a record as the smallest country to ever qualify for a World Cup.

Curacao has just 156,115 people and is smaller than the Isle of Man. It became an autonomous nation in 2010 and was previously a part of the Netherlands Antilles.

Its people speak Dutch, English and the language of Papiamento.

Curacao counts Juninho Bacuna, formerly of Rangers and Birmingham City, and brother Leandro Bacuna, formerly of Aston Villa, in their team. Jordi Paulina of Fortuna Dusseldorf and Sheffield United's Tahith Chong are also in their ranks.