Advocaat future to be resolved
Thursday, July 1, 2004
Article summary
Netherlands coach Dick Advocaat said that the Royal Netherlands Football Association will make a statement about his future next week.
Article body
Mind made up
Speaking in the wake of last night's 2-1 semi-final defeat by Portugal, Advocaat said: "Next week there will be a statement from the KNVB, but I already know what I will do. This is a very disciplined team, because reaching the semi-final with everything that has happened around the Dutch squad is not easy."
Heavy criticism
Advocaat was heavily criticised by the Dutch media for his tactics during the tournament. "At this moment, I'm very disappointed but we have to be realistic," he said. "Obviously, Portugal played a better first half. They had the better form, the better players. We didn't find the right connection.
Deserved praise
"But we reached the goal we had set," he added. "It's something to reach the semi-finals. For that the team deserve praise." Advocaat is in his second spell as coach having previously taken the Netherlands to the quarter-finals of the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
